governed by randomness

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "governed by randomness" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it in contexts discussing unpredictability or chance, such as in scientific, philosophical, or artistic discussions. For example: "The outcome of the experiment was largely governed by randomness." Alternative expressions include "driven by chance" and "controlled by unpredictability."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

These tragedies are still ultimately governed by randomness and chance.

Vice

The illusion of control in a world much governed by randomness and the elusive nature of emotions are also recurring ideas in my work".

Vice

In fact, biological phenomena are governed by randomness just like other physical systems on the small scale.

Genome Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

In a nutshell, MCell reproduces the randomness of the molecular trajectories, of the ion transporter flickering and of the relevant chemical reactions by probabilistic algorithms governed by pseudo-random number generators (iterative mathematical algorithms, which produce a pseudo-random sequence of numbers once initiated by a given number called seed).

F1000Research

The indefinite optimist is governed by a belief in randomness.

Huffington Post

The book is governed by what at first seems like randomness but she shows how chance juxtapositions make new unities – an artist's intelligence at work.

The Guardian - Books

$$\end{document} Temporal auto-correlation measures the randomness of the time evolution of  A, which is governed by a continuous-time Markov process.

Bulletin of Mathematical Biology

They're governed by Ayatollah Khamenei.

The New York Times

Distribution was governed by racketeers.

The New Yorker

It is governed by self-interest.

The Economist

These are governed by software programs.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair with contrasting concepts like "the illusion of control" or "deterministic laws" to highlight the role of unpredictability.

Common error

Ensure you use the preposition "by" to indicate the agent of the governing action. Writing "governed of randomness" or "governed with randomness" is non-standard and grammatically incorrect in this context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "governed by randomness" functions as a passive verb phrase followed by a prepositional object. It typically acts as a predicate describing the state or nature of a system, phenomenon or event. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it is often used to modify nouns representing complex real-world situations like "tragedies" or "biological phenomena".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

35%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "governed by randomness" is a high-level linguistic tool used to describe the fundamental unpredictability of the world. According to Ludwig AI and the analyzed search data, it is most frequently employed in scientific and intellectual contexts to challenge the illusion of human or deterministic control. While exact matches for the full phrase are relatively rare, the underlying structure—using the passive voice to assign agency to abstract concepts like chance—is a hallmark of sophisticated English writing. Whether you are discussing the trajectory of a virus or the outcome of mass tragedies, this phrase provides a neutral and objective way to acknowledge that some things are simply beyond prediction.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ruled by chance

Uses a more evocative verb to suggest that chance has total authority over the outcome.

driven by stochasticity

Provides a more technical and scientific tone by using the term for mathematical randomness.

subject to randomness

Slightly less definitive, suggesting the entity is under the influence of random forces rather than strictly controlled by them.

shaped by unpredictability

Focuses on the formative nature of random events rather than just the governing aspect.

determined by luck

A more informal or colloquial variation often used in everyday conversation or sports contexts.

controlled by probability

Shifts the focus to the mathematical likelihood of events occurring.

dictated by aleatory factors

A highly academic and formal alternative relating to things dependent on an uncertain event.

influenced by random variables

A statistical phrasing that implies randomness is one of several contributing factors.

governed by chaos

Suggests a higher degree of disorder or lack of structure than simple randomness.

contingent upon chance

Emphasizes the dependency of the outcome on a random event.

FAQs

How do I use "governed by randomness" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe unpredictable systems. For example: "The distribution of seeds in the forest is largely governed by randomness and wind patterns."

What is a more scientific way to say "governed by randomness"?

In a technical or mathematical context, you might prefer to use "<a href="/s/driven+by+stochastic+processes" target="_blank" rel="alternative">driven by stochastic processes" or "<a href="/s/subject+to+aleatory+uncertainty" target="_blank" rel="alternative">subject to aleatory uncertainty".

Is "governed by randomness" formal enough for an essay?

Yes, it is perfectly appropriate for academic and formal writing. It is frequently found in high-level publications like <a href="/s/The+New+Yorker" target="_blank" rel="alternative">The New Yorker and scientific journals.

What's the difference between "governed by randomness" and "ruled by chance"?

"<a href="/s/ruled+by+chance" target="_blank" rel="alternative">ruled by chance" is often perceived as more poetic or literary, while "governed by randomness" sounds more analytical and objective.