discretion
- 01 C1 Advanced
the right or power to decide what should be done in a particular situation.
the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgement. Often used in formal contexts regarding authority or legal power.
Simple“The judge has the discretion to reduce the sentence if the person is sorry.”
In context“The distribution of the remaining funds is left entirely to the committee's discretion, provided they adhere to the original charitable goals.”
UsageCommonly follows the preposition 'at' (e.g., 'at the manager's discretion').
Antonyms
“Legal representatives of Flanagan said it was clear that Staines was aware she had discretion as to whether she should allow an inspection and to what level after having considered all relevant matters.”
“That documentary worked brilliantly because its subjects seemed so sweetly but devastatingly lacking in discretion or self-awareness that everything they said landed like a line from a Christopher Guest parody.”
From Middle English discrecioun, from Old French discretion, from Late Latin discrētiō, from Latin discerno. Equivalent to discreet + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.