Synonyms of caprice

caprice

noun

kə-ˈprēs 

1

as in whim

a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action

an out-of-character caprice led him to take the day off from work and go to the beach

Synonyms & Similar Words

• whim
• vagary
• whimsy
• bee
• notion
• vagrancy
• humor
• megrim
• maggot
• kink
• capriciousness
• crank
• fancy
• impression
• freak
• fantasy
• bee in one's bonnet
• thought
• image
• whimsicality
• fancifulness
• impetuosity
• conception
• freakishness
• conceit
• picture
• concept
• inspiration
• mind's eye
• brainstorm

2

as in impulsiveness

an inclination to sudden illogical changes of mind, ideas, or actions

his knack for picking racetrack winners appears to owe as much to caprice as it does to a canny assessment of horseflesh

Synonyms & Similar Words

• impulsiveness
• capriciousness
• whimsicality
• freakishness
• willfulness
• flexibility
• eccentricity
• variableness
• unpredictability
• whimsicalness
• variability
• arbitrariness
• irregularity
• fickleness
• volatility
• moodiness
• mutability
• changeability
• flakiness
• inconstancy
• mercurialness
• volatileness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reasonableness
• practicality
• inflexibility
• reasonability
• firmness
• invariability
• fixedness
• immutability
• levelheadedness
• stability
• fastness
• constancy
• steadiness
• immovability
• steadfastness
• changelessness
• immovableness

Synonym Chooser

How is the word caprice distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of caprice are crotchet, vagary, and whim. While all these words mean "an irrational or unpredictable idea or desire," caprice stresses lack of apparent motivation and suggests willfulness.

by sheer caprice she quit her job

When could crotchet be used to replace caprice?

In some situations, the words crotchet and caprice are roughly equivalent. However, crotchet implies an eccentric opinion or preference.

a serious scientist equally known for his bizarre crotchets

Where would vagary be a reasonable alternative to caprice?

The words vagary and caprice can be used in similar contexts, but vagary stresses the erratic, irresponsible character of the notion or desire.

he had been prone to strange vagaries

When can whim be used instead of caprice?

The synonyms whim and caprice are sometimes interchangeable, but whim implies a fantastic, capricious turn of mind or inclination.

an odd antique that was bought on a whim

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of caprice

Some are desperate to look like players by moving into the various Overton windows stretched by Trumpian caprice. —Washington Post, 23 Jan. 2026

Every day, by caprice, the lives of ordinary, law-abiding people—our neighbors—are being destroyed. —Erin Neil, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026

Companies that once worried primarily about exchange rates and regulatory compliance now face a bewildering array of threats: trade wars, sanctions, export controls, nationalist boycotts, and the caprices of populist leaders who prize political theater over economic rationality. —Bobby Ghosh, Time, 18 Jan. 2026

Much of Trump’s governance reflects his own moral and political caprice. —Anthony Dominguez, Sun Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026