as in scattered
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
since we were new in town, our choice of a vet for our dog was entirely random
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 random
Inspections typically take place at random every six months to a year.
—
Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
Users in the comments sided with the post's author, noting that the woman never directed her aunt to dig into random jars in her kitchen — that was her choice.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Police said an infant later found on the front lawn of a random individual's house is related to all four deceased individuals, who have been identified as family members of Drummond’s current girlfriend.
—Greg Norman , Elizabeth Pritchett, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2025
The program tried to learn from every hand — even the bad hands that were doomed to fail — and ended up making mostly random moves.
—Andrew Montequin, jsonline.com, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for random
Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
Users in the comments sided with the post's author, noting that the woman never directed her aunt to dig into random jars in her kitchen — that was her choice.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Police said an infant later found on the front lawn of a random individual's house is related to all four deceased individuals, who have been identified as family members of Drummond’s current girlfriend.
—Greg Norman , Elizabeth Pritchett, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2025
The program tried to learn from every hand — even the bad hands that were doomed to fail — and ended up making mostly random moves.
—Andrew Montequin, jsonline.com, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for random
Recent Examples of Synonyms for random
Adjective
-
In some ways, are triple doubles an arbitrary achievement?—
Shane Young,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Lalami clearly needed a way to get Sara home to end the book, and springing her in this way is consistent with the arbitrary nature of her incarceration and the mercurial behavior of her keepers.—
Book Marks
August 7,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
As observed through their youngest daughter as the film’s protagonist, a family of six’s move to a new home seems to trigger erratic, dangerous behavior in their oldest son.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
6 Aug. 2025
-
The tech industry can be easy to hate—the erratic CEOs, the biased algorithms, the environmental damage.—
Sarah Rose Etter,
The Atlantic,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Rylee Love, 6, was killed by a stray bullet on July 27, exactly one month after Samir Josiah Grubbs, 4, was gunned down at Skinner Playfield.—
Andrea May Sahouri,
Freep.com,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Hotter and drier conditions in North American forests mean that there is more dry wood and underbrush that can easily be ignited by a stray campfire spark or a lightning strike.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
An accidental entrepreneur Epic’s Deep Space Auditorium.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
16 Aug. 2025
-
Finally, the rules have been tweaked for accidental ‘double-touch’ penalties.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Random.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/random. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share