Discretionary vs. Optional — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Discretionary and Optional
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Compare with Definitions
Discretionary
Left to or regulated by one's own discretion or judgment.
Optional
Left to choice; not compulsory or automatic.
Discretionary
Available for use as needed or desired
A discretionary fund.
Optional
Not compulsory; left to personal choice; elective.
On that beach clothing is entirely optional.
Discretionary
Available at one's discretion; able to be used as one chooses; left to or regulated by one's own discretion or judgment.
Discretionary income
Discretionary powers
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Optional
Something that is not compulsory, especially part of an academic course.
Discretionary
Having or using the ability to act or decide according to your own discretion or judgment;
The commission has discretionary power to award extra funds
Optional
In various programming languages, a kind of variable that is assigned a specific data type but may or may not hold an actual value.
Discretionary
(especially of funds) not earmarked; available for use as needed;
Discretionary funds
Discretionary income
Optional
Involving an option; depending on the exercise of an option; left to one's discretion or choice; allowed but not compulsory; as, optional studies; it is optional with you to go or stay.
If to the former the movement was not optional, it was the same that the latter chose when it was optional.
Original writs are either optional or peremptory.
Optional
Possible but not necessary; left to personal choice
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