At random means without choosing, so any result is equally possible: we drew a name at random to decide who'd go first. You pick on purpose, but the result isn't fixed: open a book at any page, take twenty addresses from a list. The adjective works on its own: a random choice.
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choose / pick / select / draw something at random
- We drew a name at random to decide who would speak first.
- She opened the poetry book at random and read the page she found.
- The survey team selected twenty addresses at random from the complete list.
What changed
First versionThe host picked a number at randomly.
RevisionThe host picked a number at random.
At random and randomly mean the same thing, so it's easy to blend them. But after at comes random without -ly: picked a number at random. Or use the adverb with no preposition: picked a number randomly.
By accident means unintentionally: I deleted the file by accident. By chance means through luck or coincidence: we met by chance. At random means picked blindly but on purpose: pick a card at random.
Your turn
Nobody chose a particular name in advance: A name was drawn at ___.
Show the answer
random — After at you need random. Randomly is an adverb and doesn't take a preposition.
Describe how you picked something at random: a dish, a book, or who goes first. Use at random.
We selected a recipe at random from the cookbook and bought the ingredients together.
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