F. D. RooseveltEdith HamiltonJohn Locke
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The hap in haphazard comes from an English word that means "happening," as well as "chance or fortune." Hap, in turn, comes from the Old Norse word happ, meaning "good luck." Perhaps it's no accident that hazard also has its own connotations of chance and luck: while it now refers commonly to something that presents danger, at one time it referred to a dice game similar to craps. (The name ultimately comes from the Arabic word al-zahr, meaning "the die.") Haphazard first entered English as a noun meaning "chance" in the 16th century, and soon afterward was being used as an adjective to describe things with no apparent logic or order.
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Examples of haphazard in a Sentence
Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 1 July 2024
But because of its informal nature, Dharavi remained undeveloped and haphazard for many years.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN, 29 June 2024
Built out in haphazard fashion, the house seems both neglected and fussed over, and as a result slightly mad.
—Nicholas Dames, The Atlantic, 14 June 2024
This flashy, somewhat haphazard quality feels like the work of a director opting for big, fun choices in order to obscure a muddle.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for haphazard 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'haphazard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Haphazard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haphazard. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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