haphazard

play

noun hap·haz·ard \(ˌ)hap-ˈha-zərd\

Definition of haphazard

: chance 1 this little remnant preserved by the haphazard of chance — Edith Hamilton take our principles at haphazard — John Locke

Origin and Etymology of haphazard

¹hap + hazard

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First Known Use: 1569

See Words from the same year

haphazard

adjective hap·haz·ard

Definition of haphazard

: marked by lack of plan, order, or direction a haphazard assemblage of furniture not … a collection of haphazard schemes, but rather the orderly component parts of a connected and logical whole — F. D. Roosevelt

haphazard

adverb

haphazardly

adverb

haphazardness

noun

haphazardry

play \(ˌ)hap-ˈha-zər-drē\ noun

See haphazard defined for English-language learners

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Examples of haphazard in a Sentence

We were given a haphazard tour of the city.
considering the haphazard way you measured the ingredients, it's a wonder the cookies came out this good

Recent Examples of haphazard from the Web

But the odds are stacked against prisoners such as Kozlovsky; the process of swapping POWs is haphazard and poorly coordinated.

— jack losh, Washington Post, "Hundreds have gone missing in eastern Ukraine’s dirty war", 26 June 2017
As the gangplank lowers, the crowd forms a haphazard line and marches down the dock and onboard.

— megan bush moody, Alaska Dispatch News, "Choreographed frenzy: What happens when the ferry arrives in our tiny town", 25 June 2017
The mayor keeps saying the city council needs to get together on a weekend, but it's been a haphazard attempt to get anything organized, Landbeck said.

— erika butler, The Aegis, "Differences over charter changes reflect divide in Aberdeen", 2 June 2017
Up until then, Asher had been nothing but good while filling multiple roles — spot starter, long man and late-inning reliever — and manager Buck Showalter believed one rocky outing shouldn’t force a haphazard decision to bump him.

— eduardo a. encina, baltimoresun.com, "Alec Asher rebounds, stifles Red Sox in Orioles' 3-2 win", 2 June 2017
The report, echoing earlier studies that ruled out a cancer cluster at Camp Justice, reflects the haphazard nature of the development of the complex in a series of recommendations to monitor for health risks among the staff working there.

— carol rosenberg, miamiherald, "No health survey conducted before Pentagon built Guantánamo’s Camp Justice", 25 May 2017
Some concert-goers said security was haphazard before the show, with some people being searched and others allowed inside unhindered.

— husna haq, The Christian Science Monitor, "Islamic State group claims Manchester bombing at Ariana Grande concert", 23 May 2017
Light 's haphazard guest list doesn't do them quite as many favors.

— patrick ryan, USA TODAY, "Paramore, Linkin Park take big swings, but only one hits", 15 May 2017
Also, if Comey's transgressions occurred over several months, why was his dismissal so rushed and haphazard?

— jack holmes, Esquire, "The Two Words That Will Define the Next Several Weeks: Special Prosecutor", 10 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'haphazard'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

The "hap" in "haphazard" comes from an English word that means "happening," as well as "chance or fortune," and that derives from the Old Norse word happ, meaning "good luck." Perhaps it’s no accident that "hazard," as well, has its own connotations of luck: while it now refers commonly to something that presents danger, at one time it referred to a dice game similar to craps. (The name ultimately derives from the Arabic al-zahr, or "the die.") "Haphazard" first entered English as a noun (again meaning "chance") in the 16th century, and soon afterward was being used as an adjective to describe things with no apparent logic or order.

Origin and Etymology of haphazard

see ¹haphazard

NEW!

First Known Use: 1576

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of haphazard

random, haphazard, casual mean determined by accident rather than design. random stresses lack of definite aim, fixed goal, or regular procedure. a random selection of books haphazard applies to what is done without regard for regularity or fitness or ultimate consequence. a haphazard collection of rocks casual suggests working or acting without deliberation, intention, or purpose. a casual collector