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
But the ongoing fracturing of American politics, and especially the capricious and authoritarian-leaning tendencies of the current administration, complicates everything.
—
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
The attorney general’s interpretation, the court said, was not unreasonable or capricious, merely different from the administrative law judge’s.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Apr. 2026
Then again, the president is capricious and that could change.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Baseball by its capricious nature requires multiple games between teams to determine a legitimate victor.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for capricious
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
The attorney general’s interpretation, the court said, was not unreasonable or capricious, merely different from the administrative law judge’s.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Apr. 2026
Then again, the president is capricious and that could change.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Baseball by its capricious nature requires multiple games between teams to determine a legitimate victor.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for capricious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for capricious
Adjective
-
Everything is imperfect and volatile.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
17 May 2026
-
Gas and oil prices have been rising but volatile since the conflict began.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Abstaining from highly reinforcing digital or other vices can break habits and reduce impulsive behavior such as phone checking.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
-
For instance, Mercury in Taurus prefers logic, stability and tangible facts, but Neptune in Aries adds a layer of impulsive fantasy and projection that can override common sense.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
That's difficult because oncology is among the most expensive and unpredictable areas of healthcare, with high drug costs and the fragmented care that attracted the company's attention in the first place.—
Ellen Sheng,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
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Produced by Kunal Kemmu and Chirag Nihalani through their Drongo Films banner, Vibe centers on two inseparable friends whose ordinary, unassuming lives spiral into an unpredictable, high-energy adventure that pushes their survival instincts and friendship to the limit.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
Chevillard, who worked as an animator on Despicable Me 2, enjoyed developing eccentric characters that are not Minions-famous, at least not yet.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
-
In 2022, Austrian director Marie Kreutzer released Corsage, the excellent feminist re-reading of the life of 19th century Empress Elizabeth, known as Sissi, with Vicki Krieps as the eccentric, anorexic empress and Florian Teichtmeister as her philandering husband, Franz Joseph I.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
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
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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
Adjective
-
The inconsistent role wreaked havoc with his shot.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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Approval processes often depend on manual back-and-forth, while visibility beyond tier one suppliers is inconsistent at best.—
Alex Saric,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Why Sorting Laundry Was Traditionally Important Before advances in fabric manufacturing, many dyes were unstable.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
-
While highly energetic, these ions are unstable.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Capricious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/capricious. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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