Definition of random
: a haphazard course
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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IATA also said foreign airports that fail to install explosive-trace detection scanners along with procedures to use them to scan carry-on bags at random could face a ban on carrying laptops into the cabin or a suspension of flights to the U.S.
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Police and prosecutors believe that Aaron Saucedo, 23, is the person who terrorized predominantly Latino neighborhoods, seemingly at random, during the first half of 2016.
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The five balls are chosen at random from a set of 75 numbers, and the one Mega Ball is drawn from a set of 15.
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The process varies from airline to airline, but some passengers reported a crew member said a computer chose at random.
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Unless your idea of sexy is simulating intimacy while a bunch of randoms watch you, in which case more power to you.
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Some 2,000 homes around town selected at random should be receiving a survey in the mail asking for views on how the city can improve its beaches, parks, recreation facilities and programs.
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Symptoms appear at random, sometimes months after treatment, and can initially seem innocuous.
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The parody pictures include Seth Rogen and James Franco's recreation of the cover, the Muppets' version, and then also some randoms who just replaced Kim and Kanye's faces with their own.
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
random
Definition of random
1a : lacking a definite plan, purpose, or patternb : made, done, or chosen at random read random passages from the book
2a : relating to, having, or being elements or events with definite probability of occurrence random processesb : 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; also : characterized by procedures designed to obtain such sets or elements random sampling
randomly
adverbrandomness
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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Opportunist hackers are amateurs and professionals who spend hours a day running random scams on the Internet looking for unprotected home computers.
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A total of 510 balls went into the stands during the 14 games charted at random during the 2016-17 seasons.
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But even without a regular flow, the menstrual gods have cursed me with a battery of unpleasant symptoms: everything from rollercoaster mood swings to random cramps and unpredictable energy-level fluctuations at various times of the month.
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But clearly there was some need for such a system, because people were calling random places to get emergency service.
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This month’s poll was conducted by telephone, between June 14 and 19, using a nationally representative random sample of about 1,200 adults.
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Similar random acts of kindness get reported often and are always uplifting to hear.
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Murray said evidence presented at trial showed that Taylor was picked at random Dec. 17, 2012.
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This Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll was conducted April 13-May 1 with a random national sample of 1,686 U.S. adults contacted on landline and cellphones with an overall margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
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
Synonym Discussion of random
random
Definition of random
: in a random manner
First Known Use of random
1618
Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms
RANDOM Defined for English Language Learners
random
Definition of random for English Language Learners
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: chosen, done, etc., without a particular plan or pattern
RANDOM Defined for Kids
random
playDefinition of random for Students
: lacking a clear plan, purpose, or pattern I read a random selection of poems.
randomly
adverbrandomness
nounLearn 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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