random walk

noun

: a process (such as Brownian motion or genetic drift) consisting of a sequence of steps (such as movements or changes in gene frequency) each of whose characteristics (such as magnitude and direction) is determined by chance

Examples of random walk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many aspiring entrepreneurs let emotion and passion take them on a random walk which few survive. —Martin Zwilling, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025

For instance, portfolios with a high equity allocation show a lower probability of going broke when mean reversion is considered, compared with random walk assessments. —Larry Light, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

Light: How does the traditional random walk methodology differ from mean reversion regarding risk assessment? —Larry Light, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

One is a version of a random walk, where some agent wanders around haphazardly in a network that could represent, for example, the streets of a city. —Philip Ball, WIRED, 21 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for random walk

• aftershock
• antiknock
• arawak
• hollyhock
• interlock
• isopach
• manioc
• shuttlecock
• tomahawk
• weathercock
• alcock
• beanstalk