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

He pulled a book off a nonfiction shelf at random—it was something about tax codes.

From Literature

“I didn’t vote for masked men picking people up at random,” Guerra said before mentioning the migra encounter with the gardeners in January.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Science Daily

The revised name reflected their mission to publish new titles “at random” to complement the backlist.

From The Wall Street Journal

There are a lot of names, so I pick one at random.

From Literature

Related Words

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