haphazard 1 of 2

haphazard

2 of 2

adverb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word haphazard distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words casual and random are common synonyms of haphazard. While all three words mean "determined by accident rather than design," haphazard applies to what is done without regard for regularity or fitness or ultimate consequence.

a haphazard collection of rocks

When can casual be used instead of haphazard?

Although the words casual and haphazard have much in common, casual suggests working or acting without deliberation, intention, or purpose.

a casual collector

When is random a more appropriate choice than haphazard?

While the synonyms random and haphazard are close in meaning, random stresses lack of definite aim, fixed goal, or regular procedure.

a random selection of books

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of haphazard
Adjective
Each county conducts the count differently — San Francisco's was reportedly haphazard last year — and relies on volunteers, outreach workers and government employees who often get varying levels of training. Shawna Chen, Axios, 8 Jan. 2025 Why some houses burn and others survive isn’t always obvious and can seem capricious and haphazard, despite preparation and mitigation. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025 Efforts to reform the system that has shielded oil companies from liability have been haphazard. Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 30 Dec. 2024 The entire ordeal was put together in a somewhat haphazard way that seemed consistent with her age and experience. Jessie Sage, Rolling Stone, 14 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for haphazard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haphazard
Adjective
  • In the early 20th century, physicists wanted to study Brownian motion, the random movement of particles in a liquid or gas.
    Solomon Adams, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2025
  • While there are countless wormholes to be dragged into on a player’s Baseball Reference page, many of them can be pushed aside with the explanation that the reasoning for a level of success (or lack thereof) is due to the sample size making those results random.
    Tyler Small, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Anyone who’s ever thrown a pitch or swung a bat knows that the umpire decides in the end — and those decisions have felt arbitrary and highly personal at times.
    Keith O'Brien, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Misinformation surrounding the new law has led to a resurgence of the narrative that white South Africans—especially farmers—are facing an orchestrated campaign of genocide through arbitrary land grabs.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • His career arc was atypically jagged and erratic for a pop singer, starting at an unnaturally young age and continuing for decades, but rarely for more than a hit song at a time, and often with many fallow years coming in between them.
    Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Deepfake films, for example, frequently feature odd blinking patterns, erratic lighting and inconsistent facial expressions.
    Rohan Pinto, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Haphazard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haphazard. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.

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