at random

Idioms  

1. Without order or fixed purpose, haphazardly, as in Jackson Pollock dropped paints on canvas seemingly at random. Originally this phrase meant “very speedily” and “heedlessly.” Shakespeare had the present usage in 1 Henry VI (5:3): “He talks at random; sure the man is mad.” [Late 1500s]

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Example Sentences

Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev said the brokerage in years past had to plead with issuers to set aside stock for the company’s IPO Access program, which distributes allocated retail shares at random to interested customers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

He and his team selected 50 stocks at random from the 500 largest companies by market capitalization each month since 1999, assigning them equal starting weights.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

I'm reminded of the rise of social media challenger BeReal, a French app that gained popularity during the pandemic, which encourages users to show their authentic selves via non-filtered selfies at random times.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

At K1 Speed, all drivers compete in identical cars assigned at random, which puts the emphasis on driving skill.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026

Ron looked nervously at Harry, then snatched up a book at random and hid behind it.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• aimlessly
• frantically
• indiscriminately
• instinctively
• madly
• wildly