Definition of randomnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word random distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words casual and haphazard are common synonyms of random. While all three words mean "determined by accident rather than design," random stresses lack of definite aim, fixed goal, or regular procedure.

a random selection of books

When is casual a more appropriate choice than random?

While in some cases nearly identical to random, casual suggests working or acting without deliberation, intention, or purpose.

a casual collector

When is it sensible to use haphazard instead of random?

Although the words haphazard and random have much in common, haphazard applies to what is done without regard for regularity or fitness or ultimate consequence.

a haphazard collection of rocks

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 The Bowl show will come with support from Mexican comedian Sofia Niño de Rivera and a special musical performance by the Colombian reggaeton sensation Feid — whose songs Hernández can’t help but sing at random throughout our interview. Suzy Exposito, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026 No festivals, no Lilith Fairs — not even a random dive bar on a drunken night out in the ’90s. Devon Ivie, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026 Long snappers can come from random places. Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026 Or a random set of medical instruments? Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for random
Recent Examples of Synonyms for random
Adjective
  • There are a few, scattered references to female gladiators.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Adjective
  • The fundamental processes governing brain health — genetics, neural and synaptic plasticity, and neuroinflammation — do not respect the arbitrary boundaries drawn between neurology and psychiatry.
    Eric J. Nestler, STAT, 28 Apr. 2026
  • White-Jacket did cause a stir with its discussion of the arbitrary and cruel use of flogging in the US Navy.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • While playing his first full season as a starter last year, Manning looked like an erratic youngster for the first half of 2025, before eventually settling in and playing much better ball down the stretch.
    Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Trump’s erratic tariffs, his contempt for NATO, and uneven support for Ukraine’s defense against a Russian invasion have left him fairly alone.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Also eligible for reward is information on the death of Iran Moreno, 13, who was killed after a stray bullet struck him through the bedroom window of his Pasadena home in 2021.
    Gabriel San Román, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Those joyful scenes in Prague were fuelled by the disappointment of the previous year, when West Ham lost to Eintracht Frankfurt in a fiery Europa League semi-final, a defeat that saw Moyes almost narrowly missing a ballboy when furiously volleying a stray ball at full time.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • An infant’s accidental exposure to an infected child can mean serious illness, brain swelling and sometimes death.
    Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
  • An infant’s accidental exposure to an infected child can mean serious illness, brain swelling and sometimes death.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Random.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/random. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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