as in notion
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action
on a whim, we stopped at the roadside stand to get ice cream
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whim
At best, the rulers who met in Doha on Monday act as supplicants, relying on the whims of a unpredictable US president to intercede with Israel’s leader.
—
Ben Wedeman, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2025
Their whims work for or against us with no logic involved.
—Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
At the end of each task, Davies awards points based on performance and his own whims, and the winner at the end of each series gets a trophy shaped like Davies’s head.
—Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025
Historically linked to meditation and traditional Japanese dining culture, today’s iterations are all about modern living needs that suit every whim—lounging while binging on the White Lotus reruns, creating a reading nook, or simply losing oneself in texts at the end of the day.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whim
Ben Wedeman, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2025
Their whims work for or against us with no logic involved.
—Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
At the end of each task, Davies awards points based on performance and his own whims, and the winner at the end of each series gets a trophy shaped like Davies’s head.
—Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025
Historically linked to meditation and traditional Japanese dining culture, today’s iterations are all about modern living needs that suit every whim—lounging while binging on the White Lotus reruns, creating a reading nook, or simply losing oneself in texts at the end of the day.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whim
Noun
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In addition, data showed those who switched to self-employment had previously earned more than peers who were paid employees, contrasting with notions that they were pushed into starting their own business.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
27 Sep. 2025
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The notion that vaccines cause autism was born out of a fraudulent 1998 study, hypothesizing that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine caused intestinal inflammation, which, in turn, led to the development of autism.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Over that time his work neatly evaded the whims and caprices of fashion, achieving a kind of timelessness and clarity of purpose.—
Anna Wintour,
Vogue,
5 Sep. 2025
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The caprice of the wind was the only reason there was evidence to recover in the first place.—
Henry Leutwyler Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Quinton Kamara,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Noun
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The group said Tennessee's youth ranked 42nd in the country for mental health issues in a study that tracked 15 health criteria from substance abuse to thoughts of suicide.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
28 Sep. 2025
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From wheat farmers in Washington state to Forest Service workers in Montana to business leaders in Mississippi, average Americans offer their thoughts on where the country is headed.—
September 28,
NPR,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Owning and running the restaurant also meant caring for the vast, aging Foster’s collection while managing the vagaries of heat, cold, humidity and stovetop.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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But beyond the vagaries of this clearly religious belief in eternal reward, literature itself offers succor not just for the captive, but its creator.—
Ed Simon
September 22,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
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American budgets, jobs, health, welfare and environmental treasures cannot afford more energy fantasies, especially offshore wind.—
Craig Rucker,
Boston Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
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Of course, people make boastful statements of dubious merit all the time, but, as our story explains, Robinson has monetized his fantasies by selling development masterclasses to aspiring writers and offering other services for a fee.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That element of whimsy solidified even further when Harry Potter entered the discussion.—
Leonora Epstein,
Architectural Digest,
1 Oct. 2025
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The combination of whimsy and vulnerability necessary for a grown adult to commit to a public game of dress up with an outfit inevitably revealing a glimpse into their spirit is endlessly charming.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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While some old businesses have closed due to high rents and fewer local shoppers, several new fancy — and casual — restaurants and stores have recently opened, bringing fresh buzz.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
24 Sep. 2025
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Take a scroll through the look book and see what strikes your fancy!—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whim. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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