arbitrariness

/'ɑ:bitrərinis/
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arbitrariness

The manager's decision was criticized for its sheer arbitrariness.

Definition

Noun: 1. The quality of being based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system: The state of being determined by individual discretion, chance, or impulse, not by logic, law, or objective standards. 2. The trait of being dictatorial or using power without constraint: The exercise of power or authority without justification or consideration for others.

Usage

The noun "arbitrariness" describes a characteristic or quality. It is typically used in formal or academic contexts to critique decisions, rules, or actions that lack a rational, fair, or consistent basis. - It often functions as the subject or object in a sentence. - It is commonly modified by adjectives (e.g., sheer, complete, apparent) or used with prepositions like of.

Examples
  • The court ruled against the law due to the arbitrariness of its application.
  • Citizens protested the arbitrariness of the government's new decrees.
  • A good scientific theory should minimize arbitrariness in its assumptions.
  • She was frustrated by the arbitrariness of the selection process.
Advanced Usage
  • "Arbitrariness of": Used to specify what is arbitrary.
    • Philosophers have long debated the arbitrariness of linguistic signs.
  • "Sheer arbitrariness": Emphasizes the complete lack of rationale.
    • The decision was made with sheer arbitrariness, stunning everyone involved.
Variants and Related Words
  • Arbitrary (adj): Based on random choice or personal whim, not reason.
    • an arbitrary decision
  • Arbitrarily (adv): In a manner based on random choice or personal whim.
    • He was arbitrarily dismissed from his post.
Synonyms
  • Capriciousness: The quality of being given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.
  • Whimsicality: Playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor, often implying a lack of seriousness.
  • Unpredictability: Inability to be predicted; lack of regularity.
  • Despotism: The exercise of absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way. (Specifically relates to the power aspect.)
Antonyms
  • Rationality: The quality of being based on or in accordance with reason or logic.
  • Consistency: Conformity in the application of something, typically that which is necessary for the sake of logic, accuracy, or fairness.
  • Fairness: Impartial and just treatment or behavior without favoritism or discrimination.
  • Methodicalness: The quality of being performed or acting in an orderly, systematic way.
Idioms and Phrases
  • A reign of arbitrariness: A period characterized by unpredictable and unjust rule.
    • The country suffered under a reign of arbitrariness for a decade.
  • The arbitrariness of fate: The concept that life's events can seem random and without reason.
    • The novel explores the arbitrariness of fate and human suffering.
arbitrariness

The manager's decision was criticized for its sheer arbitrariness.

Noun
  1. the trait of acting unpredictably and more from whim or caprice than from reason or judgment
    • I despair at the flightiness and whimsicality of my memory