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
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
This new agency should get access to NWF dollars and not have to depend on political whims for its funding, as is the case now.
—
Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
While 7 million people showed up for the No Kings protest earlier this month, Democrats still do not control any meaningful power in Washington; the Supreme Court, Congress, and the White House are all proven loyal to Trump’s whims.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
Unlike the reception or other pre-wedding events that feature traditional elements like speeches or cake cutting, the after-party is a celebration that can be crafted entirely according to the whims of the couple.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2025
Still, one of the goals of the legislation, at least in theory, is for affordable-housing development to rely less on the whims of individual politicians.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whim
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Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
While 7 million people showed up for the No Kings protest earlier this month, Democrats still do not control any meaningful power in Washington; the Supreme Court, Congress, and the White House are all proven loyal to Trump’s whims.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
Unlike the reception or other pre-wedding events that feature traditional elements like speeches or cake cutting, the after-party is a celebration that can be crafted entirely according to the whims of the couple.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2025
Still, one of the goals of the legislation, at least in theory, is for affordable-housing development to rely less on the whims of individual politicians.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whim
Cite this Entry
“Whim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whim. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
whim
noun
ˈhwim 
ˈwim
: an odd or sudden wish, desire, or change of mind
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