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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of capricious
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
That has been the driving principle of America's successful nuclear policy for decades, and with one capricious order, President Trump has inadvertently made the nightmare of a proliferation cascade much more likely.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
Last-second outcomes tend to be perceived as capricious.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 12 June 2025
In response, protests have broken out as activists see the efforts as capricious and mean-spirited.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for capricious
ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025
That has been the driving principle of America's successful nuclear policy for decades, and with one capricious order, President Trump has inadvertently made the nightmare of a proliferation cascade much more likely.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
Last-second outcomes tend to be perceived as capricious.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 12 June 2025
In response, protests have broken out as activists see the efforts as capricious and mean-spirited.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for capricious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for capricious
Adjective
-
The consequences would be far reaching and upend an already volatile political world.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Aug. 2025
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Unlike cheaper rebounders that can feel stiff or unpredictable, this one stays sturdy and responsive.—
Jordan Galloway,
SELF,
15 July 2025
-
Not pleased by the unpredictable nature of MP stock?—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
The panelists discussed episode 4's introduction of a slew of new killers played by Stonestreet, Dastmalchian, Ritter, Neil Patrick Harris, and Uma Thurman, all employed in a secret society by an eccentric billionaire obsessed with serial killers (Peter Dinklage).—
EW.com,
EW.com,
26 July 2025
-
To the local big-game purists, sharks were the stray dogs of the sea, and if Mundus was willing to control the population he was accepted as an eccentric asset to the community.—
Pat Smith,
Outdoor Life,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
The company's customer service is known for being inconsistent.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
25 July 2025
-
While Salesforce tries to make this as painless as possible, its UI/UX can be inconsistent and create bottlenecks during onboarding.—
Andrii Kovalchuk,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Various threats could cause the remains of the English warship Northumberland to become unstable.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
1 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Capricious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/capricious. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share