random
noun
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Definition of random
(Entry 1 of 3)
random
adjectiveDefinition of random (Entry 2 of 3)
random
adverbDefinition of random (Entry 3 of 3)
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Synonyms & Antonyms for random
Synonyms: Adjective
aimless, arbitrary, catch-as-catch-can, desultory, erratic, haphazard, helter-skelter, hit-or-miss, scattered, slapdash, stray
Antonyms: Adjective
methodical (also methodic), nonrandom, orderly, organized, regular, systematic, systematized
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Examples of random in a Sentence
Adjective
a random sequence of letters A random sample of doctors from around the country were selected for the study. We tasted the wines in random order and then rated each. a random collection of buttons She collects random photographs that she finds in antique shops. Pick a random word on the page. The computer program generates a list of random numbers.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
During two days of interviewing at random some 50 admirers of Kandinsky, JTA did not encounter a single person who favored returning the painting to the family after being informed of the disputeâs details. — Cnaan Liphshiz, sun-sentinel.com, "âPublic interestâ keeps looted artwork on display, not with family," 24 July 2019 Color each of the vertices white or black at random. — Quanta Magazine, "Random Surfaces Hide an Intricate Order," 2 July 2019 Beto OâRourke, seemingly at random, got a question about whether the United States ought to honor a responsibility to protect people threatened by genocide overseas. — Benjamin Wallace-wells, The New Yorker, "At the Democratic Debate, Elizabeth Warrenâs Reformism Versus Trumpâs Moral Crisis," 27 June 2019 Normally, axions just hit at random, so the swing is always moving but not actually swinging. — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, "Pulsars could convert dark matter into something we could see," 20 Dec. 2018 Instead, the game has playlists, which serve up modes seemingly at random. — Andrew Webster, The Verge, "Red Dead Onlineâs battle royale mode is slow, tense, and nothing like Fortnite," 29 Nov. 2018 Then, create random dot designs on each nail using a dotting tool and shade Tribal Textiles. — Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, "How to DIY a Halloween Themed Manicure," 1 Oct. 2018 Those customers, who were chosen at random, were asked about recent travel experiences. — The Washington Post, NOLA.com, "Airline customer satisfaction is higher than you might think, a survey indicates," 7 May 2018 Male cougars wander at random, which is what the DNR is seeing with the Brookfield cougar, according to Walter. — Karen Pilarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Cougar makes its way right up to Brookfield home," 19 Feb. 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Authorities on Sunday were still piecing together information about Saturday's attack around Odessa, Texas, where a gunman opened fire at random following a traffic stop, killing at least seven people and injuring over a dozen others. — Allan Smith, NBC News, "Trump downplays background checks push after Odessa mass shooting," 1 Sep. 2019 Winners will be drawn at random and notified Monday, Sept. 16. — SFChronicle.com, "Safeway Open," 19 Aug. 2019 If curves are flatter in general, then inversion events may just start happening from time to time due to more or less random trading noise that doesnât necessarily signal very much. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "The yield curve inversion panic, explained," 14 Aug. 2019 Each day during restaurant week, a winning photo will be chosen at random. — Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, "Troy restaurant week kicks off Sunday: What you need to know," 14 Aug. 2019 The helicopters that arrived appeared to be rescuing people at random. — New York Times, "This High-Tech Solution to Disaster Response May Be Too Good to Be True," 9 Aug. 2019 The best answer seemed to be the installation of an extension like Canvas Blocker for Firefox or Canvas Blocker (Fingerprint protect) for Chrome, either of which will inject a little random noise into such attempts. — Jim Salter, Ars Technica, "How private is your browserâs Private mode? Research into porn suggests ânot veryâ," 19 July 2019 Soon after settling in the home in 1971, Carolyn, Roger and their five daughters allegedly began to notice strange occurrences â missing items and random noises. — Martha Merrow, BostonGlobe.com, "Couple buys Rhode Island home that inspired horror film âThe Conjuringâ," 8 July 2019 Taking place on June 26 and 27, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET, each night will feature 10 candidates selected at random to avoid putting all the top-tier Democrats on the same night. — Samantha Leach, Glamour, "What to Expect From the Six Female Candidates Taking the Stage at the Democratic Debates," 26 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb
Thereâs one really random one called Mindicine that a postpartum therapist recommended. — Collier Meyerson, WIRED, "Anxiously Seeking the Perfect Anti-Anxiety App," 16 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'random.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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