randomness

noun

ran·​dom·​ness ˈran-dəm-nəs How to pronounce randomness (audio)
Synonyms of randomnessnext
: the quality or state of being or seeming random (as in lacking or seeming to lack a definite plan, purpose, or pattern)
Many Western artists and writers have been inspired by the I Ching. … The composer John Cage used it as a way to generate randomness and chance in his compositions, giving them their distinctive and often remarkable qualities.Heinz Insu Fenkl
… the metaphor of a coin flip for randomness remains unquestioned. We use coin tosses to settle disputes and decide outcomes because we believe they are unbiased, with 50-50 odds. Yet recent research into coin flips has discovered that the laws of mechanics determine the outcome of coin tosses …David E. Adler
the randomness of life

Examples of randomness in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Residents think that the sudden surge in crimes and the apparent randomness with which happening may require a greater response than just city resources. Zach Boetto, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026 But what appeared at the time as an act of total randomness actually spoke to a wider sense of release for a 20-something who had grown tired of his gilded cage. Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026 Games of chance are considered humanity’s earliest structured engagement with the idea of randomness, the intellectual precursor to probabilistic thinking. Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 14 Apr. 2026 But given injuries and the general randomness of middle relief, the Tigers’ approach makes sense. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for randomness

Word History

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of randomness was in 1803

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Cite this Entry

“Randomness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/randomness. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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