at random
56
2.7
- idiom
- She picked a book at random from the shelf without looking.
- select at random
- choose at random
- assign at random
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Watch on YouTubeDoes that actually occur that occur at random or not right.
- Does that actually occur that occur at random or not right.
- He opens it at random, saw a map of India.
- So as stuff happens at random, this stuff's going to get worse.
- And then obviously, months later, at random time, it just came, came out.
- He imagined all the bits coming together at random.
- And then one of them is basically selected to ovulate at random, at random.
- I'm going to pick some at random and we are going to respond girlfriend.
Examples
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For the raffle, we will draw names at random to ensure fairness.
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Students in the sample were assigned at random to several paper-and-pencil blocks and one performance block.
Academic text (1998) -
I pick these at random, and this is what we have.
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I want to give you one at random as well.
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So we'll choose one at random then.
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Give me a name at random.
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We basically go out and we, and we survey people at random.
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The records were selected at random from the files of two hearing centers.
Academic text (1996) -
Members of this subpopulation make contact at random with other members of the population.
Academic text (2001) -
After completing the exercise, I choose students at random to dictate their written answers.
Academic text (1993)
Synonyms
116
2.4
In a way that has no clear plan or order
26
5.5
In a way that has no clear reason or plan
21
6.7
Doing things without careful choice or noticing differences
17
8.2
In a random, messy way without a plan
16
4.9
In many different directions in a messy, random way
12
6.4
In a way that is not regular or easy to predict
8
6.1
In a way that is not planned or organized
4
4.8
In a way you cannot guess before it happens
1
9.7
In a way that uses random chance to choose results
Antonyms
How Random
Surface Forms
Morphology
at + random
The meaning 'without a specific pattern or purpose' is directly derivable from 'random' (occurring without method) combined with the preposition 'at' to form an adverbial phrase indicating manner. This is a straightforward compositional pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
At random makes you imagine someone scattering seeds by hand, so the seeds fall anywhere, not in neat rows. That's why it means 'without a plan or order'.