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Arbitrary for Dummies

adjective

pronunciation: 'ɑrbɪ,trɛri

What does Arbitrary really mean?

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Arbitrary is a word that may seem a bit tricky, but don't worry, I'm here to help you understand it in the simplest way possible! So let's dive right in and make it crystal clear for you.

When we say something is "arbitrary," we mean that it is decided or done without a specific reason or rule to follow. It's like making a choice or a decision based on what feels right in the moment, rather than having a thought-out plan or clear guidelines to guide us. You can think of it as going with your gut feeling, just like when you pick a candy in a candy store, without any particular preference or strategy.

Now, let me give you a couple of examples to make it even clearer. Imagine you and your friends are deciding which game to play during recess. If you suggest playing tag and everyone agrees, your choice isn't arbitrary because there was a specific reason behind it - you simply enjoy playing tag! But let's say you can't decide between tag, soccer, or jump rope, so you choose one by closing your eyes and picking randomly. That choice would be arbitrary because there was no specific reason to choose that game over the others.

Another way to understand arbitrary is to think about a person who says they don't like a particular food. However, when you ask them why, they can't give you any specific reasons. They just have an arbitrary dislike for it, without a clear explanation.

To sum it up, arbitrary means something is chosen, decided, or done without a specific reason or rule to follow. It's like making a choice based on a feeling in the moment or simply because, without any particular logic behind it.

I hope that explanation helps you grasp the meaning of "arbitrary"! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Revised and Fact checked by Sarah Thompson on 2023-10-28 04:01:51

Arbitrary In a sentece

Learn how to use Arbitrary inside a sentece

  • Imagine you and your friend are playing a game, and you get to decide who goes first by flipping a coin. It doesn't matter if it's heads or tails, it's completely up to chance and there is no special reason for it. That decision is arbitrary.
  • Think about when you and your siblings are deciding which TV channel to watch. If you take turns and everyone gets a chance to choose, it's fair. But if one person always gets to choose without a clear reason, that choice is arbitrary.
  • Let's say you have a bag of Skittles candy and you want to separate them by color. If you decide to put all the red ones in one cup, all the green ones in another cup, and so on, without any specific order or reason, that grouping is arbitrary.
  • Imagine you are playing a game with your friends and you need to pair up. If you simply choose a partner without considering who you get along with or who has similar skills, that pairing would be arbitrary.
  • Think about a teacher who randomly assigns seats in the classroom without any specific plan or reason. The seating arrangement is arbitrary because it could have been different without affecting anything.

Arbitrary Antonyms

Words that have the opposite context of the original word.

Arbitrary Similar Words

Words that similar to the original word, but are not synonyms.