Definition of random
: a haphazard course
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at random
: without definite aim, direction, rule, or method
- subjects chosen at random
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Recent Examples of random from the Web
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The percentage of the deficit should also require that a matching percentage of members, drawn at random should be discharged with no further pay.
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Each institution would establish their own minimum criteria for admissions and then all the names of qualified students would be put into a hat and picked at random until the class is filled.
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Chatfield sped away from police, running red lights, making turns at random.
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Chatfield sped away from police, running red lights, making turns at random.
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Faced with a new wave of serial killers who rape, murder and mutilate victims, seemingly at random, the unauthorized detectives take it upon themselves to visit prisons and interview criminals, in an effort to better understand them.
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While actions like buying a last-minute one-way flight that is pricey or paying for a flight in cash could sometimes land you on this list, according to Skift, the TSA also said the selections can happen at random.
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Applicants must meet some education and job requirement standards, then are chosen at random from a computer lottery.
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Miami police believe Reinosa chose the house at random, breaking in by shattering a window with a brick.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'random.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of random
Middle English, succession, surge, from Anglo-French randun, from Old French randir to run, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German rinnan to run — more at run
Definition of random
1 a
: lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
b
: made, done, or chosen at random
- read random passages from the book
2 a
: relating to, having, or being elements or events with definite probability of occurrence
- random processes
b
: being or relating to a set or to an element of a set each of whose elements has equal probability of occurrence
- a random sample
- random sampling
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randomly
adverb
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randomness
nounExamples of random in a Sentence
a random sequence of letters
A random sample of doctors from around the country were selected for the study.
We tasted the wines in random order and then rated each.
a random collection of buttons
She collects random photographs that she finds in antique shops.
Pick a random word on the page.
The computer program generates a list of random numbers.
Recent Examples of random from the Web
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The chief said the Maryland and Delaware shootings weren’t random.
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It's called, creatively, FaceID, and all the processing is done on the phone, so pictures of your face aren't being sent to some random server.
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The doctors acknowledge that the research on the 111 brains has limitations because, rather than a random sample, most of the families who donated the brains of players did so because those players had symptoms of cognitive problems.
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Family, friends and strangers are encouraged to do a random act of kindness in her memory.
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There are also plans for a fundraiser in January and to start Brad’s Blessing Foundation so that random acts can be done many days throughout the year.
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Yet does anyone think that a random sample of high SAT scores would yield pools that are 90 percent or greater progressive?
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Federal officials examined a random sample of 100 deficiencies directly related to resident health services that KDADS found at 79 nursing homes in 2014.
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The Post-UMass Lowell poll was conducted Aug. 14-21 among a random national sample of 1,000 adults reached on cellular and landline phones.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'random.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of random
1619
random Synonyms
Synonyms
aimless, arbitrary, catch-as-catch-can, desultory, erratic, haphazard, helter-skelter, hit-or-miss, scattered, slapdash, strayAntonyms
methodical (also methodic), nonrandom, orderly, organized, regular, systematic, systematizedRelated Words
accidental, casual, chance, chancy, contingent, fluky (also flukey), fortuitous, inadvertent, incidental, lucky, unconsidered, unintended, unintentional, unplanned, unpremeditated; scattershot, shotgun; irregular, odd, sporadic, spot; directionless, objectless, purposeless; indiscriminate, unsystematic; undirected; disorderly, disorganized; undiscriminating, unselectiveNear Antonyms
established, fixed, regular, set, stable, steady; constant, continuous, even; arranged, managed, orchestrated, ordered, planned; aware, conscious, deliberate, purposeful, thoughtful, willful (or wilful)Synonym Discussion of random
random, haphazard, casual mean determined by accident rather than design. random stresses lack of definite aim, fixed goal, or regular procedure.
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- a random selection of books
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- a haphazard collection of rocks
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- a casual collector
First Known Use of random
1618
Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms
RANDOM Defined for English Language Learners
random
adjective
Definition of random for English Language Learners
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: chosen, done, etc., without a particular plan or pattern
RANDOM Defined for Kids
Learn More about random
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See words that rhyme with random Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for random Spanish Central: Translation of random Nglish: Translation of random for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of random for Arabic speakers
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