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Synonyms

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]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

An aide flashed the overhead lights on and off at random.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

Because these changes can happen at random, even a single error can disrupt a calculation.

From Science Daily • Feb. 6, 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

They were raised up from the surface of his skin at random, some like splashes and some bigger and attached to other big ones.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.