1
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
capricious weather that was balmy one day and freezing cold the next
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impulsive
prone to sudden illogical changes of mind, ideas, or actions
a capricious woman who changed her mind dozens of times about what color to paint the bathroom
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of capricious
In the lawsuit, the attorneys general argue the rule is unlawful, arbitrary and capricious and would cause significant harm to states and their residents.
—
Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 17 July 2025
The states say the rule is arbitrary and capricious and was enacted in violation of federal administrative law.
—Reuters, NBC news, 17 July 2025
Stories are flooding media overseas of capricious denials and detentions at U.S. border crossings, raising concern among international tourists over spending top dollar on vacations to America that may end up disrupted, or never materialize.
—Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
The medical groups argue that Kennedy's decision—announced in a video on social media on May 27—violates the Administrative Procedure Act for being arbitrary and capricious.
—ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for capricious
Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 17 July 2025
The states say the rule is arbitrary and capricious and was enacted in violation of federal administrative law.
—Reuters, NBC news, 17 July 2025
Stories are flooding media overseas of capricious denials and detentions at U.S. border crossings, raising concern among international tourists over spending top dollar on vacations to America that may end up disrupted, or never materialize.
—Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
The medical groups argue that Kennedy's decision—announced in a video on social media on May 27—violates the Administrative Procedure Act for being arbitrary and capricious.
—ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for capricious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for capricious
Adjective
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The consequences would be far reaching and upend an already volatile political world.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Aug. 2025
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The explosion was one of the country’s largest since the 2010 eruption of Mount Merapi, the country’s most volatile volcano.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The vaunting acclaim the retrospective elicited seems largely unwarranted, though in several brilliant sequences scattered throughout his work, the unruly Rozier achieved an impulsive kind of mastery.—
James Quandt,
The New York Review of Books,
31 July 2025
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Jena Malone played the Bennets’ youngest daughter, Lydia Bennet, whose impulsive behavior threatens the family’s reputation.—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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The best time for aurora spotting is 2 am, when the sky is likely to be the darkest, but since the arrival of the solar storm is unpredictable, it's recommended to look throughout the night for the event.—
Staff Author,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Aug. 2025
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Anyone who has traveled by plane has at least experienced one unpredictable and inconvenient delay or cancellation in their plans.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Everyone has an eccentric type of character in their family.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
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The show's 14th season brings the Hill family and their eccentric neighbors — including much of the show's original cast — back for more.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Hers is the kind of face that inspires directors to tight framing — gleaming, as if smoothed from marble, and yet somehow pliant, changeful.—
Jordan Kisner Jack Davison,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2022
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Rigorous, blustery winter; winding sleety spring; hot, moist enervating summer; changeful autumn with its dog-days; these are absolutely unknown.—
San Diego Union-Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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Workers claim the organization has insufficient training, abrupt terminations, and inconsistent wages and raises.—
Maya Bell,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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At the federal level, Shaughnessy emphasized the urgent need to eliminate inconsistent tariffs.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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To do this, the team used a robotic arm equipped with a force and torque sensor to measure air flow in hundreds of spots inside a short model duct to build up a map that shows the unstable danger points in a circular duct and safer ones where the air currents cancel one another out.—
David Szondy
August 02,
New Atlas,
2 Aug. 2025
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In particle physics, decay refers to the process where unstable subatomic particles transform into two or more lighter, more stable particles.—
William Barter,
Space.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Capricious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/capricious. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.
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