What does randomly mean?
Randomly means in a way that is unplanned, unpredictable, or based on chance rather than deliberate selection. It is commonly used to describe choosing among options, arranging items without a fixed order, or moving or occurring without a discernible pattern. For example, a system might select applicants randomly, while a person might choose a book randomly from a shelf. In scientific and technical writing, randomly often indicates that participants, samples, or conditions are assigned or selected through a process intended to minimize systematic bias. The word can suggest a lack of planning or control, but it is not necessarily negative: “randomly selected” may simply emphasize impartiality, fairness, or the use of chance. Randomly is the adverb derived from the adjective random and is widely used in standard British, American, and international English.
adverbIn a random manner, without deliberate selection, order, or predictability. It describes something done by chance or according to no fixed pattern.
- In a random or unpredictable manner, without deliberate selection, order, or purpose.
"The names were randomly selected from a list of applicants."
"The generator produces a randomly selected image every time it is run."
"During the experiment, participants were randomly assigned to one of the two groups."
When a choice is truly left to chance, its randomness becomes an action: that is what “randomly” describes.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does randomly come from?
Randomly was formed in English by adding the adverbial suffix -ly to the adjective random. The adjective random comes through Middle English from Old French randon, in a sense associated with chance or uncertain outcome, and ultimately derives from a word meaning chance or hazard. The related English forms randomize, randomization, and randomness belong to the same word family and reflect the longstanding idea of chance, unpredictability, and absence of deliberate order.
How randomly is actually used
Randomly is common in both formal and informal English. It is often used when selection, order, or occurrence has no intended pattern; in technical contexts, it may specifically refer to a process governed by mathematical probability.
Easily confused with randomly
Random is an adjective describing something made or chosen without a definite pattern, while randomly is an adverb describing how an action or outcome occurs.