random

[ ran-duhm ]

/ ˈræn dəm /

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR random ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

proceeding, made, or occurring without definite aim, reason, or pattern: the random selection of numbers.

Statistics. of or characterizing a process of selection in which each item of a set has an equal probability of being chosen.

Building Trades.

(of building materials) lacking uniformity of dimensions: random shingles.
(of ashlar) laid without continuous courses.
constructed or applied without regularity: random bond.

Slang.

unknown, unidentified, or suspiciously out of place: A couple of random guys showed up at the party.
odd or unpredictable, often in an amusing way: my totally random life.

noun

something that is random, or a random state or condition: different statistical methods used to estimate randoms.

Slang.

a person or thing that is unknown, unidentified, or suspiciously out of place.
a person or thing that is odd or unpredictable.

Chiefly British. bank³(def 7b).

adverb

Building Trades. without uniformity: random-sized slates.

Nearby words

randem, randers, randlord, rando, randolph, random, random access, random access memory, random coil, random error, random line

Idioms

at random, without definite aim, purpose, method, or adherence to a prior arrangement; in a haphazard way: Contestants were chosen at random from the studio audience.

Origin of random

1275–1325; Middle English raundon, random < Old French randon, derivative of randir to gallop < Germanic

SYNONYMS FOR random

1 haphazard, chance, fortuitous.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR random ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

ran·dom·ly, adverbran·dom·ness, nounnon·ran·dom, adjectivenon·ran·dom·ly, adverb

non·ran·dom·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for randomness

But science does not hold the answer to everything and even subscribes to the randomness of life on Earth.
‘Gods of Suburbia’: Dina Goldstein’s Arresting Photo Series on Religion vs. Consumerism|Dina Goldstein|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Nothing serves as a metaphor for Florida randomness quite like a sinkhole.
Boom Times for Florida’s Sinkhole Fixer-Uppers|Daniel Gross|August 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST
How much does randomness and juvenilia and alcohol contribute to each tweet?
Dear Kathryn Bigelow: Bret Easton Ellis Is Really Sorry|Bret Easton Ellis|December 17, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Fragile things—a crystal champagne flute, for instance, or a house of cards—are hurt by stress, randomness, and uncertainty.
A Manifesto for Disorder: Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s ‘Antifragile’ Reviewed|Robert Herritt|November 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST

The sense of randomness is often emphasized: the discoverer—likely some hardworking editor—merely stumbled upon greatness.
Lost Masterpieces|Jacob Silverman|August 18, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Filled with 400 rods placed equidistantly, the lightning field is the interplay between precision and randomness.
The Civilization of Illiteracy|Mihai Nadin
This was an impressive change that introduced a linear relation in a realm that was one of randomness or even chaos.
The Civilization of Illiteracy|Mihai Nadin
Reduction from practically infinite choices to a finite number of realizations is at best a matter of randomness and exposure.
The Civilization of Illiteracy|Mihai Nadin
It is obvious that a language cannot go beyond a certain point in this randomness.
Language|Edward Sapir

British Dictionary definitions for randomness

random

/ (ˈrændəm) /

adjective

lacking any definite plan or prearranged order; haphazarda random selection

statistics

having a value which cannot be determined but only described probabilisticallya random variable
chosen without regard to any characteristics of the individual members of the population so that each has an equal chance of being selectedrandom sampling

informal (of a person) unknownsome random guy waiting for a bus

noun

at random in a purposeless fashion; not following any prearranged order

Derived Forms

randomly, adverbrandomness, noun

Word Origin for random

C14: from Old French randon, from randir to gallop, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German rinnan to run

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Science definitions for randomness

random

[ răn′dəm ]

Relating to a type of circumstance or event that is described by a probability distribution.

Relating to an event in which all outcomes are equally likely, as in the testing of a blood sample for the presence of a substance.

Idioms and Phrases with randomness

random

see at random.