haphazard 1 of 2

Definition of haphazardnext

haphazard

2 of 2

adverb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word haphazard distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words casual and random are common synonyms of haphazard. While all three words mean "determined by accident rather than design," haphazard applies to what is done without regard for regularity or fitness or ultimate consequence.

a haphazard collection of rocks

When can casual be used instead of haphazard?

Although the words casual and haphazard have much in common, casual suggests working or acting without deliberation, intention, or purpose.

a casual collector

When is random a more appropriate choice than haphazard?

While the synonyms random and haphazard are close in meaning, random stresses lack of definite aim, fixed goal, or regular procedure.

a random selection of books

How is the word haphazard distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words casual and random are common synonyms of haphazard. While all three words mean "determined by accident rather than design," haphazard applies to what is done without regard for regularity or fitness or ultimate consequence.

a haphazard collection of rocks

When can casual be used instead of haphazard?

Although the words casual and haphazard have much in common, casual suggests working or acting without deliberation, intention, or purpose.

a casual collector

When is random a more appropriate choice than haphazard?

While the synonyms random and haphazard are close in meaning, random stresses lack of definite aim, fixed goal, or regular procedure.

a random selection of books

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of haphazard
Adjective
Lawmakers have accused the Justice Department of withholding too many files and criticized the agency for haphazard redactions that exposed intimate details about victims. Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026 Lawmakers have accused the Justice Department of withholding too many files and criticized the agency for haphazard redactions that exposed intimate details about victims. ABC News, 18 Mar. 2026 During a fiery congressional hearing last month, Democrats excoriated Bondi over haphazard redactions in the Epstein files that exposed intimate details about victims and included nude photographs. Arkansas Online, 5 Mar. 2026 The cadence was never consistent, and the announcements appeared to be haphazard. Jason Schreier, Bloomberg, 4 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for haphazard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haphazard
Adjective
  • Recent poll results shared at a Tuesday night hearing showed 55% of those in a random sample were favorable to a mill levy override.
    Olivia Young, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • No doubt, this isn’t some random list, these three players remaining on the roster when so many others were dumped overboard.
    Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Study participants were chosen randomly Both took part in risk-factor modification.
    CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
  • The agency would randomly draw from a lottery of birthdays and numbers to establish the order that individuals would be inducted.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Within minutes of leaving town, the pavement twists downward through tight turns and steep grades as the mountain air begins to warm, the vegetation giving way to chaparral and scattered juniper, then to the stark silhouettes of ocotillo and Mojave yucca.
    Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Another concern is the protection of Route 90, the only highway connecting the small and scattered communities of the north, on which the 27-year-old woman was killed last week.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The Bulls don’t want Buzelis to get caught up in hitting an arbitrary number on the scale.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The advisory does not specify uniform procedures at the border but warns travelers that electronic data may be accessed and that enforcement can be arbitrary.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Authorities said at the time she was taken into custody on March 4, by the California Highway Patrol on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs after officers stopped a BMW 430i reported for erratic, high-speed driving.
    Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026
  • The arrest marked yet another setback for Spears, whose erratic social media presence has drawn concern from fans in the wake of her conservatorship ending in 2021.
    Jeff Nelson, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Haphazard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haphazard. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.

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