DISCRETION
Dictionary entry overview: What does discretion mean?
• DISCRETION (noun)
The noun DISCRETION has 5 senses:
1. freedom to act or judge on one's own
2. knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress
3. refined taste; tact
4. the power of making free choices unconstrained by external agencies
5. the trait of judging wisely and objectively
Familiarity information: DISCRETION used as a noun is common.
Dictionary entry details
• DISCRETION (noun)
Meaning:
Freedom to act or judge on one's own
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("discretion" is a kind of...):
liberty (freedom of choice)
Meaning:
Knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Synonyms:
discreetness; circumspection; discretion; prudence
Context example:
the servants showed great tact and discretion
Hypernyms ("discretion" is a kind of...):
discernment; judgement; judgment; sagaciousness; sagacity (the mental ability to understand and discriminate between relations)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discretion"):
confidentiality (discretion in keeping secret information)
Meaning:
Refined taste; tact
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Synonyms:
delicacy; discretion
Hypernyms ("discretion" is a kind of...):
appreciation; discernment; perceptiveness; taste (delicate discrimination (especially of aesthetic values))
Meaning:
The power of making free choices unconstrained by external agencies
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
free will; discretion
Hypernyms ("discretion" is a kind of...):
power; powerfulness (possession of controlling influence)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discretion"):
self-determination (determination of one's own fate or course of action without compulsion)
Meaning:
The trait of judging wisely and objectively
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
discernment; discretion
Context example:
a man of discernment
Hypernyms ("discretion" is a kind of...):
wisdom; wiseness (the trait of utilizing knowledge and experience with common sense and insight)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discretion"):
caution; circumspection (the trait of being circumspect and prudent)
prudence (discretion in practical affairs)
