whim

noun

ˈ(h)wim 

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

• notion
• caprice
• thought
• vagary
• whimsy
• fantasy
• fancy
• impression

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

Controlling manufacturing in-house is also a plus so the enterprise is not at the whims of third parties when trying to flip inventory each season. — Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 21 July 2026

While the horrors Lestat faced are more tempered by time and his own pacing, Louis’ are immediate and based on Armand’s whims in the butcher shop. — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Interest—from both visitors and islanders—is gently shifting away from polishing playboy yachts or appeasing the decadent whims of retirees, to something, well, more real. — Jonnie Bayfield, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2026

By their very nature, pop-ups are fluid and subject to the whims of weather. — Sam Flemming, AJC.com, 15 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

short for whim-wham

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing whim

• at the whim of (someone)
• on a whim
• satisfy someone's every whim
• whim-wham

Rhymes for whim

• brim
• clim
• dim
• grim
• gym
• him
• hymn
• im
• limb
• mim
• prim
• rim

Kids Definition

whim

noun

ˈhwim 

ˈwim

: an odd or sudden wish, desire, or change of mind