random synonyms

random

modif.

haphazard, chance, casual, arbitrary, desultory, aimless, indiscriminate, irregular, unsystematic, undirected, unplanned, planless, purposeless, orderless, accidental, fortuitous, blind, hit-or-miss, stray, erratic, aleatory, stochastic; see also aimless, haphazard, irregular 1.

random applies to that which occurs or is done without careful choice, aim, plan, etc. a random remark; haphazard applies to that which is done, made, or said without regard for its consequences, relevance, etc. and therefore stresses the implication of accident or chance a haphazard selection of books; casual implies happening or seeming to happen by chance without intention or purpose and often connotes nonchalance, indifference, etc. a casual glance at the newspaper; desultory suggests a lack of method or system, as in jumping from one thing to another her desultory reading in the textbook; chance emphasizes accidental occurrence without prearrangement or planning a chance encounter

at random

haphazardly, by chance, aimlessly; see accidentally, haphazardly.

Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.