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

The menu rotates based on the event's theme, or Graci's whims, but never fails to excite, with past flavors including Jalapeño Popper, Spinach & Artichoke, Chicago Beef and more. —Usa Today Network, USA Today, 19 June 2026

Still, hopefully a string of successes can convince companies and investors that the whims of the president alone cannot tamp down on an entire burgeoning industry, an embarrassing thing to have to convince people of in the United States. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 17 June 2026

By their very nature, pop-ups are fluid and subject to the whims of weather. —Sam Flemming, AJC.com, 17 June 2026

Twelve days ago, Delano reached out on a whim to Dillon White, whose popular social media account, @thedadchats, has more than 9 million followers. —Veronica Ortega, CBS News, 17 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