randomness
noun
ran·dom·ness
ˈran-dəm-nəs 
: 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
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
David E. Adlerthe randomness of life
Examples of randomness in a Sentence
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This randomness introduces noise and reduces efficiency.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 8 Mar. 2026
Gyllenhaal simply cannot pick a tone, and although maximalist mash-ups in this vein have worked in the hands of more confident directors such as Baz Luhrmann, too often the choices here feel random for the sake of randomness.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
Probability is a branch of mathematics that describes randomness.
—Zachary Del Rosario, The Conversation, 20 Feb. 2026
The Heat views its approach not as an unwillingness to adapt to the NBA’s new world free-agency-is-no-longer-a-thing ecosystem, but a preference to rely on uncovering gems in the draft process than relying on the randomness of the draft lottery.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
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Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 8 Mar. 2026
Gyllenhaal simply cannot pick a tone, and although maximalist mash-ups in this vein have worked in the hands of more confident directors such as Baz Luhrmann, too often the choices here feel random for the sake of randomness.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
Probability is a branch of mathematics that describes randomness.
—Zachary Del Rosario, The Conversation, 20 Feb. 2026
The Heat views its approach not as an unwillingness to adapt to the NBA’s new world free-agency-is-no-longer-a-thing ecosystem, but a preference to rely on uncovering gems in the draft process than relying on the randomness of the draft lottery.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for randomness
Cite this Entry
“Randomness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/randomness. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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