Definitions
- Referring to something that is left to one's own judgment or decision. - Describing an action or expense that is not mandatory or required. - Talking about a budget or income that is available for personal use or choice.
- Referring to something that is not required or mandatory. - Describing a choice or alternative that is available but not necessary. - Talking about a feature or component that can be added or removed based on preference.
List of Similarities
- 1Both refer to something that is not mandatory or required.
- 2Both involve a degree of choice or decision-making.
- 3Both can be used to describe actions, expenses, or features that are not essential.
- 4Both allow for personal preference or judgment.
What is the difference?
- 1Usage: Discretionary is more commonly used in financial or legal contexts, while optional is more versatile and can be used in various contexts.
- 2Authority: Discretionary implies that there is a level of authority or decision-making power involved, while optional does not necessarily involve authority.
- 3Flexibility: Optional suggests that there is a choice or alternative available, while discretionary implies that there may be limited options or flexibility.
- 4Purpose: Discretionary emphasizes the personal judgment or decision-making involved, while optional emphasizes the availability of choice or alternative.
- 5Connotation: Discretionary can suggest a level of responsibility or trust, while optional can suggest a level of convenience or luxury.
Remember this!
Discretionary and optional are synonyms that both refer to something that is not mandatory or required. However, the difference between discretionary and optional lies in their usage, authority, flexibility, purpose, and connotation. Discretionary is typically used in financial or legal contexts and implies a level of authority or decision-making power, while optional is more versatile and suggests the availability of choice or alternative.
