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

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

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

Rather than spending millions in a relentless quest to solve the problems wrought by Coors Field, the Rockies appear to have capitulated to its whims. —Andy McCullough, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025

One Battle also exemplifies where Hall’s career has taken her, which is to say across genres, moods, and Hollywood whims. —Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025

Instead of standing as a safeguard, Congress has abdicated its responsibility and has been a rubber stamp for the president’s unconstitutional whims. —Trena Turner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025

Managing up doesn't mean sucking up, heeding your boss' every whim, keeping any disagreement to yourself, or bending over backwards to make leaders happy. —Stav Ziv, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025

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