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
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
Teams are forever juggling office space, making room for new technology, seeking to inspire a new vibe, responding to the whims and preferences of a new front office or coaching staff.
—
Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 8 June 2025
When legislators and much of the voting public in Minnesota soundly rejected the cost of a retractable roof facility, the design of what eventually became Target Field was scaled back, and outdoor baseball – for better or worse depending on the whims of Minnesota weather – returned in 2010.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 7 June 2025
Still, like Tesla, SpaceX—which counts NASA among its biggest clients—is potentially subject to the whims of the head of the executive branch as well.
—Matt Durot, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Her camper-van lab is not a getaway vehicle, her science not a whim.
—Erin Douglass, Christian Science Monitor, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for whim
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Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 8 June 2025
When legislators and much of the voting public in Minnesota soundly rejected the cost of a retractable roof facility, the design of what eventually became Target Field was scaled back, and outdoor baseball – for better or worse depending on the whims of Minnesota weather – returned in 2010.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 7 June 2025
Still, like Tesla, SpaceX—which counts NASA among its biggest clients—is potentially subject to the whims of the head of the executive branch as well.
—Matt Durot, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Her camper-van lab is not a getaway vehicle, her science not a whim.
—Erin Douglass, Christian Science Monitor, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for whim
Cite this Entry
“Whim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whim. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
whim
noun
ˈhwim 
ˈwim
: an odd or sudden wish, desire, or change of mind
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