Use random for chance-based selections, unpredictable events, and patterns that are not arranged in a deliberate order.
Use random for chance-based selections, unpredictable events, and patterns that are not arranged in a deliberate order.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The meeting was random scheduled. | The meeting was scheduled at random. |
| She chose a random color deliberately. | She chose a color at random. |
| The random of the experiment was controlled. | The randomness of the experiment was controlled. |
Use random as a noun only in very informal speech for a stranger or unexpected person, and prefer random person in clearer writing.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The random was very loud. | The random person was very loud. |
| I saw a random in the hallway. | I saw a random person in the hallway. |
| She called the random to help. | She called a random person to help. |
Use random informally for something weird, nonsensical, or out of nowhere. In Spanish internet slang, the English loanword often carries this sense.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The legal argument was random. | The legal argument was irrelevant. |
| The random joke was very professional. | The unexpected joke was very professional. |
| Her answer was random because it was correct. | Her answer was surprising because it was correct. |
Use random for chance, lack of pattern, informal surprise, and in internet slang for things that feel weird or out of nowhere.
Random scheduled should be scheduled at random or scheduled randomly, because random is not the adverb form.
From Middle English randoun, meaning speed, force, or impetuosity. The phrase at random later developed the sense of acting without a fixed aim or order.
What does random mean?
Random means chosen, made, or happening by chance rather than by a fixed plan or predictable pattern.
What does random mean as an adjective?
As an adjective, random describes something chosen or occurring without a set order, reason, or plan.
Can random be a noun?
Yes, but only informally. A random can mean an unexpected stranger or unfamiliar person.
What does random mean in Spanish internet slang?
In Spanish internet slang, random often means weird, unexpected, absurd, unrelated, or out of nowhere.
What is the difference between random and randomly?
Random is an adjective, while randomly is an adverb that describes how something happens.
What does at random mean?
At random means by chance, without choosing according to a plan or pattern.
Can random describe a person?
Yes. A random person may be someone chosen by chance, and informally a random can mean an unexpected stranger.
When should random be avoided?
Avoid random when the meaning is regular, planned, systematic, or merely surprising but not chance-based.