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

In fact, the right-wing media — which is closely tied to the whims of the White House — has been targeting Siebel Newsom for months. —Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026

Democrats have publicly criticized the event, saying the president is spending money on personal whims rather than on the problems Americans are actually facing. —Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 15 June 2026

Amanda and a group of friends went to a housewarming party before deciding on a whim to go to Pulse, an LGBTQ+-friendly nightclub that was hosting a Latin Night. —Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026

Imagine a sprawling family with nine kids, all mourning the death of the most recent addition; the brood, which recently relocated from the big city to the country on a whim, is also feeling trapped in the new house. —Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 10 June 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