Meanings
comparative more indiscriminate · superlative most indiscriminate · alternative nonstandard indiscriminant
- Not marked by discrimination or discernment; (by extension) confused, promiscuous.
Otanes […] commanded an indiscriminate slaughter, without regard to age or to place.
1838, Connop Thirwall, History of Greece, volume II. xiv. 1951 more example
The UK's fishing industry has complained that Ocean is “indiscriminate” (arguably an ironic adjective for anyone involved in trawling).
2025 May 17, Henry Mance, “Now we are almost out of time”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 12 - Without care in making distinctions, thoughtless.
How can anyone be so indiscriminate in making friends as he is?
1 more example
An animal so indiscriminate in its eating habits that it eats coal, boat cushions, and tomtoms, would be only too eager to taste a swimmer or a diver—which must look more edible than an unopened can of salmon.
1983, Richard Ellis, The Book of Sharks, Knopf, →ISBN, page 126
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivefailing to make or recognize distinctions
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
First attested in 1598; from in- + discriminate.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian безразборен, безсистемен
- безразборен (bezrazboren)Without care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- безсистемен (bezsistemen)Without care or making distinctions, thoughtless
Catalan indiscriminat
- indiscriminatWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
Chinese Mandarin 不加區別的 /不加区别的, 不加選擇的 /不加选择的
- 不加區別的 /不加区别的 (bùjiā-qūbié de)Without care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- 不加選擇的 /不加选择的 (bùjiā-xuǎnzé de)Without care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- 不加鑒別的 /不加鉴别的 (bùjiā-jiànbié de)Without care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- 不分好壞的 /不分好坏的 (bùfēn-hǎohuài de)Without care or making distinctions, thoughtless
Finnish harkitsematon, sokea
- harkitsematonWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- sokeaWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- arvostelukyvytönWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- harkitsematonWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- umpimähkäinenWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- silmitönWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
French indiscriminé, indistinct
- indiscriminéWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- indistinctWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
German unüberlegt, wahllos
- unüberlegtWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- wahllosWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- willkürlichWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- gedankenlosWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- unbedachtWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- unterschiedslosWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- unkritischWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- ohne UnterschiedWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
Italian indiscriminato
- indiscriminatoWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
Japanese 無差別
- 無差別 (musabetsu)Without care or making distinctions, thoughtless
Latin promiscuus
- promiscuusWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
Russian неразборчивый, неизбира́тельный
- неразборчивый (nerazborčivyj)Without care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- неизбира́тельный (neizbirátelʹnyj)Without care or making distinctions, thoughtless
Spanish indiscriminado, desconsiderado
- indiscriminadoWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- desconsideradoWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
Swedish oaktsam, urskillningslös
- oaktsamWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- urskillningslösWithout care or making distinctions, thoughtless
Ukrainian нерозбі́рливий, невибірко́вий
- нерозбі́рливий (nerozbírlyvyj)Without care or making distinctions, thoughtless
- невибірко́вий (nevybirkóvyj)Without care or making distinctions, thoughtless
Cite this entry
indiscriminate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/indiscriminate
“indiscriminate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/indiscriminate. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “indiscriminate,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/indiscriminate.
Source: indiscriminate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.