How to Use random in a Sentence

random

1 of 2 adjective
  • Pick a random word on the page.
  • We tasted the wines in random order and then rated each.
  • A random sample of doctors from around the country were selected for the study.
  • She collects random photographs that she finds in antique shops.
  • The computer program generates a list of random numbers.
  • The choice of books was not random.
    — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 7 June 2026
  • This big eye sore of a random stranger!
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Her heart raced at random times.
    — Calmatters, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Some was from posts by random strangers.
    — Jimmy Wales, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Shaene claims this was just a random shot.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2025
  • So, is this just random chance?
    — Chad Jennings, New York Times, 6 May 2026
  • Now these aren’t just random picks.
    — Stixx Mathews, Essence, 21 Oct. 2025
  • That's why the email doesn't feel random.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Feb. 2026
  • That quick check wasn’t random.
    — Becca Blond, Travel + Leisure, 24 Aug. 2025
  • This wasn’t just some random, one-off thing.
    — Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The maps branch out with shops and random events, which helps vary the runs.
    — Jason Bennett, Arkansas Online, 28 June 2026
  • Their choice of 14er was not random.
    — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 25 June 2026
  • This is not a random act of gunfire.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 5 May 2026
  • There were a bunch of other random scenes this week.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026
  • And then something random comes up and have to pause.
    — Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
  • An aide flashed the overhead lights on and off at random.
    — Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
  • School sports teams may do a random screening as well.
    — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Fell asleep in a tree and wakes up on some random mountain.
    — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Play with friends or join a random game with other app users.
    — Sarah Midkiff, refinery29.com, 24 Mar. 2020
  • Dense brush crowds the small creeks, while few tiny conifers seem to pop up at random.
    — oregonlive, 30 Aug. 2020
  • The books that get challenged are not random.
    — Jacob Crainic, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Your press should not feel random or scattered.
    — Becca Brazil, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2026
  • That middle-of-the-night jolt awake is not random.
    — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
  • These aren’t just random picks from my closet.
    — Gabriela Garcia, Travel + Leisure, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Nor can it be achieved via random mix-and-matching.
    — Angus Fletcher, Big Think, 29 Sep. 2025

random

2 of 2 noun
  • Instead, the game has playlists, which serve up modes seemingly at random.
    — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 29 Nov. 2018
  • The names of qualified students would be picked at random until a class is filled.
    — Jeffrey Selingo, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2018
  • Making a passphrase random is only half of the solution, though.
    — Henry Williams, WSJ, 18 Sep. 2018
  • Chatfield sped away from police, running red lights, making turns at random.
    — The Washington Post, NOLA.com, 21 Oct. 2017
  • Perhaps three judges would be chosen at random from a circuit court and the president would select one.
    — Matt Ford, The New Republic, 4 June 2019
  • If these randoms hit fewer shots in Game 4, the Lakers can cover the spread.
    — Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
  • The studies would have to be carried out online, with participants in each drawn at random from a common pool.
    — Wired, 6 Dec. 2019
  • At the start of the game, a hat that may be either blue or red is chosen at random from a large number of hats and placed on each contestant’s head.
    — Quanta Magazine, 23 Mar. 2016
  • Heck, people are reaching out to randoms in social media DM's.
    — Chris Fedor, cleveland.com, 13 Mar. 2018
  • Unless your idea of sexy is simulating intimacy while a bunch of randoms watch you, in which case more power to you.
    — Mehera Bonner, Marie Claire, 6 Apr. 2017
  • Pick a number at random, Hogg suggested, and contact the company next to it.
    — The Washington Post, NOLA.com, 29 Mar. 2018
  • Those customers, who were chosen at random, were asked about recent travel experiences.
    — Kate Silver, chicagotribune.com, 7 May 2018
  • Then, create random dot designs on each nail using a dotting tool and shade Tribal Textiles.
    — Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, 1 Oct. 2018
  • The five balls are chosen at random from a set of 75 numbers, and the one Mega Ball is drawn from a set of 15.
    — Sheldon S. Shafer, The Courier-Journal, 10 May 2017
  • The process varies from airline to airline, but some passengers reported a crew member said a computer chose at random.
    — Ryan Craggs, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Apr. 2017
  • Miami police believe Reinosa chose the house at random, breaking in by shattering a window with a brick.
    — David Ovalle, miamiherald, 2 Nov. 2017
  • Normally, axions just hit at random, so the swing is always moving but not actually swinging.
    — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, 20 Dec. 2018
  • The percentage of the deficit should also require that a matching percentage of members, drawn at random should be discharged with no further pay.
    — Cincinnati.com, 9 Aug. 2017
  • The concert’s first half was disjointed, shifting styles and attitudes seemingly at random.
    — Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2017
  • Unfortunately there are plenty of reasons your eyes might suddenly spring a leak, even seemingly at random.
    — Zahra Barnes, SELF, 10 Jan. 2018
  • Rich was shot and killed near his Washington home in July 2016 in what police ruled a random, botched robbery.
    — Callum Borchers, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2018
  • Symptoms appear at random, sometimes months after treatment, and can initially seem innocuous.
    — Matt Richtel, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2016
  • Applicants must meet some education and job requirement standards, then are chosen at random from a computer lottery.
    — Eugene Scott, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2017
  • Each institution would establish its own criteria for admissions and then all the names of qualified students would be put into a hat and picked at random until the class is filled.
    — Jeffrey J. Selingo, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2018
  • Chosen seemingly at random, recipients were divided into colored teams of either green, orange, red or purple.
    — Morena Duwe, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2019
  • Each institution would establish their own minimum criteria for admissions and then all the names of qualified students would be put into a hat and picked at random until the class is filled.
    — Jeffrey J. Selingo, Washington Post, 2 Aug. 2017
  • Some 2,000 homes around town selected at random should be receiving a survey in the mail asking for views on how the city can improve its beaches, parks, recreation facilities and programs.
    — Fred Swegles, Orange County Register, 29 Mar. 2017
  • Injustice is made apparent as the authorities are shown demolishing shantytowns, seemingly at random.
    — J. Hoberman, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2018
  • At an event where the outcome, mass arrests, seemed only to confirm the protesters’ complaints, riot police dragged demonstrators from the crowd seemingly at random and arrested news photographers and reporters.
    — Andrew E. Kramer, BostonGlobe.com, 12 June 2019
  • While actions like buying a last-minute one-way flight that is pricey or paying for a flight in cash could sometimes land you on this list, according to Skift, the TSA also said the selections can happen at random.
    — Talia Avakian, PEOPLE.com, 21 Sep. 2017

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'random.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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