indiscriminate 🔊
Meaning of indiscriminate
Done at random or without careful judgment; not selective.
Key Difference
Indiscriminate implies a lack of careful selection or thought, often leading to haphazard or unfair outcomes.
Example of indiscriminate
- The indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas caused widespread outrage.
- Her indiscriminate spending habits left her in financial trouble.
Synonyms
random 🔊
Meaning of random
Occurring without a definite pattern or purpose.
Key Difference
Random lacks intent, while indiscriminate suggests a lack of care or fairness in selection.
Example of random
- He picked a random book from the shelf without looking.
- The lottery numbers are chosen at random.
haphazard 🔊
Meaning of haphazard
Lacking any obvious principle of organization.
Key Difference
Haphazard implies disorganization, whereas indiscriminate suggests a lack of discrimination.
Example of haphazard
- The files were arranged in a haphazard manner, making them hard to find.
- His haphazard approach to studying led to poor grades.
arbitrary 🔊
Meaning of arbitrary
Based on random choice or personal whim rather than reason.
Key Difference
Arbitrary often implies subjectivity, while indiscriminate implies carelessness.
Example of arbitrary
- The manager made arbitrary decisions that frustrated the team.
- The arbitrary cutoff score excluded many deserving candidates.
unselective 🔊
Meaning of unselective
Not choosing carefully; accepting everything.
Key Difference
Unselective is neutral, while indiscriminate often carries a negative connotation.
Example of unselective
- The unselective admission policy allowed many unqualified students.
- Her unselective taste in movies meant she watched anything.
wholesale 🔊
Meaning of wholesale
Done on a large scale without attention to details.
Key Difference
Wholesale emphasizes scale, while indiscriminate emphasizes lack of judgment.
Example of wholesale
- The government ordered the wholesale demolition of historic buildings.
- Wholesale changes to the policy caused confusion.
careless 🔊
Meaning of careless
Not giving sufficient attention to avoiding harm.
Key Difference
Careless implies negligence, while indiscriminate implies lack of selection.
Example of careless
- His careless driving resulted in an accident.
- Careless remarks during the meeting offended many.
thoughtless 🔊
Meaning of thoughtless
Showing lack of consideration for others.
Key Difference
Thoughtless focuses on insensitivity, while indiscriminate focuses on lack of selection.
Example of thoughtless
- Her thoughtless comment hurt his feelings.
- Thoughtless disposal of plastic harms the environment.
sweeping 🔊
Meaning of sweeping
Affecting many things or people in a broad way.
Key Difference
Sweeping implies broad impact, while indiscriminate implies lack of discrimination.
Example of sweeping
- The new law brought sweeping changes to the tax system.
- He made sweeping generalizations about the group.
unthinking 🔊
Meaning of unthinking
Done without consideration or reflection.
Key Difference
Unthinking implies automatic action, while indiscriminate implies lack of careful choice.
Example of unthinking
- His unthinking obedience to authority was concerning.
- Unthinking consumption of resources harms the planet.
Conclusion
- Indiscriminate actions often lead to unfair or harmful outcomes due to lack of careful judgment.
- Random can be used when there is no specific pattern or intent.
- Haphazard is best for describing disorganized or chaotic situations.
- Arbitrary should be used when decisions are based on personal whims rather than logic.
- Unselective works when describing neutral, non-judgmental acceptance.
- Wholesale is ideal for large-scale actions without detail consideration.
- Careless applies when negligence or lack of attention is the main issue.
- Thoughtless is fitting when insensitivity or lack of consideration is highlighted.
- Sweeping should be used for broad, wide-ranging effects.
- Unthinking applies to actions done without reflection or automatic behavior.