English Reference
Adjective

haphazard

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /hæpˈhæzɝd/ UK /hæphˈæzəd/ hap·haz·ard

adj.done in a way that is not planned or organized. You use this to describe something that happens by chance or without any clear order.

adj.done in a disorderly or unsystematic way; lacking a plan or purpose. Often describes processes or arrangements that result from chance rather than intention.


SIMPLE

The books were arranged in a haphazard way on the shelf.

CONTEXTUAL

The project failed because the team followed a haphazard schedule rather than a detailed plan.

COMPLEX

The city's growth was haphazard, with new neighborhoods popping up wherever land was available rather than following a coherent urban design.


From archaic hap (“chance, luck”) + hazard.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated