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
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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

Word History

Etymology

short for whim-wham

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of whim was in 1686

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whim. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

whim

noun
ˈhwim How to pronounce whim (audio)
ˈwim
: an odd or sudden wish, desire, or change of mind

More from Merriam-Webster on whim

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