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Indiscriminate - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Indiscriminate means done without careful judgment or distinction, often randomly or unfairly. It describes actions that affect everyone or everything without consideration for differences. Example: indiscriminate violence.

indiscriminate

/ˌɪndɪˈskrɪmɪnɪt/ /ˌɪndɪˈskrɪmɪnət/

Definition:

Done at random or without careful judgment, often unfairly or excessively.

Synonyms:

random, haphazard, arbitrary, unselective

Part of Speech:

adjective

Antonyms:

selective, deliberate, discriminating

Common Collocations:

indiscriminate violence, indiscriminate use, indiscriminate attacks, indiscriminate spending

Derivatives:

indiscriminately, indiscriminateness

Usage Tips:

Use "indiscriminate" to describe actions lacking careful selection or fairness, often implying excess or harm.

Common Phrases:

indiscriminate killing, indiscriminate bombing, indiscriminate hiring

Etymology:

From Latin *indiscriminatus*, meaning "not distinguished," combining *in-* (not) and *discriminare* (to divide).

Examples:

  • 1. The police condemned the indiscriminate violence during the protest.
  • 2. Her indiscriminate spending left her with little savings by the end of the month.
  • 3. The pesticide caused indiscriminate harm to both pests and beneficial insects.
  • 4. Indiscriminate logging has devastated large areas of the rainforest.

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