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
While authorities say the incident was not random, school officials are asking students to remain vigilant as university police work to identify and locate the suspect.
—
Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
The video in question involved leaked Ring cam footage that showed Meech helping a random woman bring groceries into her home.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2025
The work—in a way, a series of encounters with random elements of one-click consumerism, including coloring books and marketing guides for dentists—is tedious, repetitive, and demoralizing.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
But fear not, this wasn’t just an elaborate trick to get a random woman from Idaho to clean their house — Lindsay gets a taste of the finer things the next day when a nail tech comes to the house ahead of her trip to the gym and salon.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for random
Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
The video in question involved leaked Ring cam footage that showed Meech helping a random woman bring groceries into her home.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2025
The work—in a way, a series of encounters with random elements of one-click consumerism, including coloring books and marketing guides for dentists—is tedious, repetitive, and demoralizing.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
But fear not, this wasn’t just an elaborate trick to get a random woman from Idaho to clean their house — Lindsay gets a taste of the finer things the next day when a nail tech comes to the house ahead of her trip to the gym and salon.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for random
Recent Examples of Synonyms for random
Adjective
-
The core loop spans 18 miles with 4,500 feet of elevation gain, winding from Colchuck Lake’s turquoise waters to the Upper Enchantment Basin’s moonscape of polished granite and scattered tarns.—
Jacqueline Kehoe,
AFAR Media,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Michigan residents are in for another seasonable week, with cooler temperatures and scattered rain, according to the National Weather Service.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Yet, the severity of gendered crime during Partition wasn’t caused by an arbitrary upsurge of madness.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Several lawsuits have already been filed challenging the fee and selection changes, with universities, labor groups, and business organizations arguing that the administration exceeded its authority and that the new rules are arbitrary.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Even when participants’ average blood pressure seemed healthy, those with the most erratic readings — combined with stiffer arteries — showed telltale signs of brain aging, the study found.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Think of the harms of erratic schedules akin to the way dripping water can erode stone.—
Allison Aubrey,
NPR,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
More than 110,000 people have watched that video so far, and to this day, a stray commenter still occasionally sees fit to leave a snide remark.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
-
This includes stray rounds, shells, or empty casings.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Sources of inspiration include the work of Ari Aster and Yorgos Lanthimos as well as films such as The Babadook and Nicolas Roeg’s 1973 drama Don’t Look Now, starring Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland as a couple who travel to Venice following the accidental death of their daughter.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
4 Nov. 2025
-
In 2006, Cheney’s accidental shooting of a fellow hunter in Texas became an odd, symbolic flashpoint in a career marked by control and controversy.—
Daniel Orton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Random.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/random. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share