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
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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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of caprice
Richard Avedon’s accompanying portrait discards any notion of Cat Power’s caprice; there’s no bewilderment or confusion on display, no underlying contradictions.
—
Carrie Brownstein, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2025
An e-mail publication was invulnerable to the caprices of social-media platforms and their algorithms.
—Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
But Cass is not the man to beat his head in bitterness over female caprice.
—Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 27 Feb. 2025
Two questions arise: If self-driving cars can’t handle such examples of human caprice, how will people feel about sharing space with these new aliens?
—Rodney Brooks, IEEE Spectrum, 27 July 2017
See All Example Sentences for caprice
Carrie Brownstein, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2025
An e-mail publication was invulnerable to the caprices of social-media platforms and their algorithms.
—Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
But Cass is not the man to beat his head in bitterness over female caprice.
—Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 27 Feb. 2025
Two questions arise: If self-driving cars can’t handle such examples of human caprice, how will people feel about sharing space with these new aliens?
—Rodney Brooks, IEEE Spectrum, 27 July 2017
See All Example Sentences for caprice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caprice
Noun
-
Since the beginning of this administration, Silicon Valley’s biggest bosses have appeased the president, capitulating to his every whim — agreeing to pay export taxes, giving away equity to the government, defunding schools for Latino students and ending diversity programs.—
Mercury News & East Bay Times editorial,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
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Lawrence propels herself through space like a woman possessed, and Ramsay underscores her mysterious inner drive with music and rhythm, letting songs illustrate Grace’s moods and whims, from the innocent to the romantic to the punishing.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Some viewers find her impulsiveness more irritating than endearing.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
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Farrell’s Sonny Crockett is a brooding, messy, temperamental cop whose impulsiveness and (ahem) intensity is balanced by his mopey vulnerability.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The president’s bombast and capriciousness have led many European countries to increase their defense spending—a positive outcome, to be sure, and not inherently at odds with the notion of a unified, geopolitical West.—
Stewart Patrick,
Foreign Affairs,
18 Sep. 2025
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Fergus McCaffrey Jacobs’ collaboration with the capriciousness of nature is also rooted in the geometry of aeronautical navigation.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Caprice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caprice. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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