random
word
/ˈɹændəm/
RAN-duhm
/ɹˈændəm/
RAN-duhm
Definition
Happening, chosen, or done without a clear plan, pattern, or reason. In informal use, it can also describe something unexpected, strange, or unrelated to the situation.
Usage & Nuances
Common in both everyday and technical contexts: 'random selection', 'random sample', 'at random'. In informal speech, people often say 'That was so random' to mean odd or out of nowhere. Don't confuse the precise statistical meaning with the casual meaning.
Spanish: aleatorio - al azarPortuguese (BR): aleatório - aleatório(ao acaso)Portuguese (PT): aleatório - ao acasoChinese (Simplified): 随机的 - 随便的Chinese (Traditional): 隨機的 - 隨便的Hindi: यादृच्छिक - बेतरतीबArabic: عشوائي - غير متوقعBengali: যৌগ случайক্রমে - এলোমেলোRussian: случайный - произвольныйJapanese: ランダムな - 無作為なVietnamese: ngẫu nhiên - bất ngờKorean: 무작위의 - 임의의Turkish: rastgeleUrdu: بے ترتیب - اتفاقیIndonesian: acak - sembarangan
Example Sentences
The computer picked a random number.
basic
We asked random people on the street.
basic
I heard a random noise last night.
basic
That was such a random question.
natural
I randomly found this photo in an old box.
natural
He just showed up at my door at a random time.
natural