- (a.) Despotic; absolute in power; bound by no law; harsh and unforbearing; tyrannical; as, an arbitrary prince or government.
- (a.) Exercised according to one's own will or caprice, and therefore conveying a notion of a tendency to abuse the possession of power.
- (a.) Depending on will or discretion; not governed by any fixed rules; as, an arbitrary decision; an arbitrary punishment.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). arbitrary. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/arbitrary/definitions/1975456 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "arbitrary" http://smartdefine.org/arbitrary/definitions/1975456 (accessed September 22, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, arbitrary, Smart Define, viewed 22 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/arbitrary/definitions/1975456>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "arbitrary" 27 May 2011. Web. 22 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/arbitrary/definitions/1975456> |