whim

play

noun \ ˈhwim , ˈwim \

Definition 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

See whim defined for English-language learners

See whim defined for kids

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 of whim from the Web

Having a way to stream songs on a whim is a lot easier than scrolling through your MP3s or searching for YouTube videos that never sound that great anyway.

— samantha gordon, USA TODAY, "Amazon Music Unlimited finally joins Spotify and Apple Music in offering student rates," 29 Aug. 2017
All three grew up on West Texas ranches, and this — not the whims of the fickle food culture — formed their individual cooking styles.

— by ellise pierce, star-telegram, "Cowboy Cuisine: Why this cooking style still matters to these Texan chefs (with recipes!)," 2 Aug. 2017
Jennifer would like to see Congress act, to protect all of the L.G.B.T. community and to make the policy permanent, not subject to the whims of any future president.

— chiara marinai, The Hive, "“Betrayal”: Transgender Troops React to Trump’s Ban," 2 Aug. 2017
Putting restrictions on an emergency fund could shield it from the whims of future mayors and council members who might seek to use one-time revenues to plug budget holes.

— kevin litten, NOLA.com, "Mayor Mitch Landrieu wants voters to approve a 'rainy day' fund for New Orleans," 31 July 2017
A gangly group of us standing together in an altar space, wrapping ourselves around such a simple request, wrapping ourselves around the human component of our leaders’ whims and worries.

— lynne hinton, charlotteobserver, "Remembering the beauty around us when times are trying," 20 July 2017
These two wave technicians must deal with a complicated mix of machinery and Mother Nature’s whims.

— joe carberry, idahostatesman, "Two ‘obsessed’ Boise River users create the whitewater waves you play in," 17 July 2017
On a whim, the Vietnam combat veteran went to a San Diego reading of the names listed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall.

— jeanette steele, sandiegouniontribune.com, "At Veterans Village, a changing of the guard," 14 July 2017
Taking a creative approach to Slovenian tradition, the set menus here change every week to follow the seasons (or the whims of chefs Luka Nagode and Urška Dvoraček).

— kate springer, CNT, "Why Your Next European Road Trip Should Be in Slovenia," 13 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'whim.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of whim

short for whim-wham

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1686

See Words from the same year

whim Synonyms

Synonyms

bee, caprice, crank, fancy, freak, humor, kink, maggot, megrim, notion, vagary, vagrancy, whimsy (also whimsey), bee in one's bonnet

Related Words

capriciousness, fancifulness, fantasy (also phantasy), freakishness, impetuosity, whimsicality; conceit; concept, conception, image, impression, mind's eye, picture, thought; brainstorm, inspiration

Synonym Discussion of 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

WHIM Defined for English Language Learners

whim

play

noun

Definition of whim for English Language Learners

: a sudden wish, desire, decision, etc.

WHIM Defined for Kids

whim

play

noun \ ˈhwim , ˈwim \

Definition of whim for Students

:a sudden wish or desire :a sudden change of mind

Learn More about whim

See words that rhyme with whim Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for whim Spanish Central: Translation of whim Nglish: Translation of whim for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of whim for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up whim? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

whim

Definition of whim

From the M-W Editors

Examples of whim in a Sentence

Recent Examples of whim from the Web

Origin and Etymology of whim

whim Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Synonym Discussion of whim

Phrases Related to WHIM

Related Phrases

WHIM Defined for English Language Learners

whim

Definition of whim for English Language Learners

WHIM Defined for Kids

whim

Definition of whim for Students

Learn More about whim

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Trending: Kim Jong Un: Trump a 'Dotard'

Let's Talk 'Tea'

These Are Fighting Words

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Words of the Year: 1066