whim

noun

ˈ(h)wim How to pronounce whim (audio)
Synonyms of whim
1
: a capricious or eccentric and often sudden idea or turn of the mind : fancy
quit his job on a whim
2
: a large capstan that is made with one or more radiating arms to which a horse may be yoked and that is used in mines for raising ore or water

Synonyms of whim

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for whim

caprice, whim, vagary, crotchet mean an irrational or unpredictable idea or desire.

caprice stresses lack of apparent motivation and suggests willfulness.

by sheer caprice she quit her job

whim implies a fantastic, capricious turn of mind or inclination.

an odd antique that was bought on a whim

vagary stresses the erratic, irresponsible character of the notion or desire.

he had been prone to strange vagaries

crotchet implies an eccentric opinion or preference.

a serious scientist equally known for his bizarre crotchets

Examples of whim in a Sentence

It's hard to predict voters' whims. on a whim, we stopped at the roadside stand to get ice cream
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Google has therefore tied the ability to distribute Android apps to the whims of the US Treasury Department, which maintains and enforces economic sanctions. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026 The difference between security agencies in democracies and secret-police forces is that the former have to obey laws and not just follow the whims of the head of state. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 That's simply not true, but recruiting involves the whims of 17-year-old super athletes, so perception is often reality in their minds. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026 Odysseus becomes a cameo in Circe’s life rather than the other way around, and the interior lives of women are more than mere fuel for the psychology and whims of troubled, great men. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for whim

Word History

Etymology

short for whim-wham

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of whim was in 1686

Phrases Containing whim

Rhymes for whim

See All Rhymes for whim

Browse Nearby Words

whilst
whim
whimbrel
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whim. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

whim

noun
ˈhwim How to pronounce whim (audio)
ˈwim
: an odd or sudden wish, desire, or change of mind

More from Merriam-Webster on whim

Nglish: Translation of whim for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All