randomly

randomly — adverb

1. Done or happening by chance, luck, or accident — not chosen, planned, or arrange

1.adverbB1
Definition

Done or happening by chance, luck, or accident — not chosen, planned, or arranged in advance.

Example

The teacher randomly chose five students to answer questions.

randomly chose (verb collocation: selecting by chance)

Aylin closed her eyes and randomly pointed at a name on the list.

Common collocations
  • randomly chosen
  • randomly selected
  • randomly assigned
  • randomly distributed
  • randomly picked
Synonyms
  • haphazardly

    suggests a lack of care or order rather than pure chance; more critical in tone

  • arbitrarily

    implies a personal whim or choice rather than objective chance

  • by chance

    phrase equivalent; more neutral and conversational

  • at random

    phrase equivalent; often used in the same contexts ('chosen at random')

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

randomly + verb (modifying an action done without a plan)

verb + randomly (adverb in end position)

Usage Note

Commonly used with verbs of choosing, selecting, assigning, or distributing. Frequently appears in passive constructions, especially in academic or research writing (e.g., 'were randomly assigned').

Common Mistakes

She randomly said she likes pizza.' (when meaning she said it without thinking, not by chance)
She randomly said she likes pizza.
'randomly' here suggests an unexpected comment, which belongs to sense 2 (UNEXPECTEDLY).

2. Happening or done without any clear reason, cause, or purpose — often describing

2.adverbB2
Definition

Happening or done without any clear reason, cause, or purpose — often describing something surprising or strange that is hard to explain.

Example

Felix randomly started laughing in the middle of the serious meeting.

randomly started + gerund (unexpected sudden action)

The refrigerator randomly stopped working even though it was almost new.

Common collocations
  • randomly happened
  • randomly appeared
  • randomly stopped
  • randomly started
  • randomly decided
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

randomly + verb of action/change (unexpected event)

randomly + verb (expressing surprising behaviour)

Usage Note

Frequently used in informal speech and everyday storytelling. Often describes sudden equipment failures, unexpected emotional reactions, or surprising social encounters. This sense rarely appears in formal or academic writing.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

These words and phrases all describe something done without a fixed plan, but they differ in tone and context. 'Randomly' is the most neutral and widely used — it simply means by chance, without any deliberate pattern. 'Haphazardly' carries a negative judgement, suggesting carelessness or messiness: you might randomly pick a restaurant (neutral luck), but haphazardly pack a suitcase (sloppy, disorganised). 'Arbitrarily' implies a personal whim or unfair decision rather than true chance: a boss might arbitrarily raise one person's pay (based on bias, not luck). 'By chance' and 'at random' are phrase equivalents of sense 1. 'By chance' is the most conversational ('I met him by chance at a cafe'), while 'at random' is common in formal and technical writing ('participants were selected at random'). Choose 'randomly' for general, neutral use; pick the alternatives when you need a specific shade of criticism, bias, or formality.

haphazardlyarbitrarilyby chanceat random

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • completely randomly
  • entirely randomly
  • purely randomly
  • almost randomly
  • seemingly randomly

Phrases

  • at random
  • by chance

Etymology

GermanicOld FrenchMiddle EnglishModern English

The word 'randomly' comes from 'random' + the adverb suffix '-ly'. 'Random' entered English in the 1300s from Old French 'randir' (meaning to run fast or gallop), which itself came from a Germanic root meaning 'to run'. Early uses of 'random' in English referred to great speed or force (e.g., 'with random force'). By the 1500s, the meaning shifted from 'impetuous speed' to 'without definite aim or purpose', and later to 'governed by or involving chance'. The modern sense used in statistics and probability — 'selected without bias' — became common in the 1800s alongside the rise of scientific sampling. The adverb 'randomly' has been in use since the 1600s, originally meaning 'at great speed' before settling into its current meaning of 'by chance'.