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

See Examples For:

at random

There, again, if enough people pick stocks at random, some of them will make a fortune through sheer chance.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

One this month seemed to offer a clue and, like the others, included words underlined seemingly at random.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026

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

But let's be frank: Fiona Bruce and Question Time weren't in Ashton-in-Makerfield at random and Andy Burnham doesn't suffer from a deficit of ambition.

From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026

Thus, to take an example at random, Leonardo Pisano, known as Fibonacci, is the supposed discoverer of the Fibonacci number series.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

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