haphazardly
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of haphazardly
Explanation
Something done haphazardly seems completely random, like your little sister's collage of pictures cut carelessly from a magazine and haphazardly glued all over a piece of poster board. The adverb haphazardly is good for describing something done in an unplanned or random way without concern for the outcome; for example, you might put silverware away by haphazardly tossing it in a drawer, or plant a crazy garden with flowers haphazardly placed here and there around the yard. Haphazardly combines hap, meaning "chance," with hazard, or "danger."
Vocabulary lists containing haphazardly
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "H"
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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.
Drawing haphazardly from the Victoria & Albert Museum’s immense collection of decorative arts and design, the institution’s newest outpost is frustratingly uneven.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026
The movie is well-written but haphazardly made, with some choppy editing and a soundtrack of Cheech & Chong original songs that frequently drown out the dialogue to the point of irritation.
From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026
But Suchet says the e-scooters - part of a shared transport scheme introduced in 2021 - are still parked haphazardly around the area, blocking pavements.
From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026
We haphazardly dressed in our cleanest warm clothes.
From Slate • Jan. 25, 2026
She notices the way his fingers are twisted above the first joints, stiffened haphazardly like branches.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
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.
