Synonyms of capricious

capricious

adjective

kə-ˈpri-shəs 

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

• volatile
• unpredictable
• changeful
• inconsistent
• unstable
• uncertain
• variable
• mercurial
• fickle
• inconstant
• temperamental
• changeable
• unsettled
• mutable
• fluctuating
• erratic
• arbitrary
• random
• unsteady
• up in the air
• haphazard
• unreliable
• fluid
• skittish
• aimless
• flickery
• scattered
• shaky
• stray
• ambivalent
• slapdash
• untrustworthy
• desultory
• undependable
• hit-or-miss
• irregular
• dicey
• protean
• versatile
• vacillating
• adaptable
• wavering
• shilly-shallying
• mobile
• shilly-shally
• hesitating

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• certain
• constant
• predictable
• invariable
• steady
• stable
• immutable
• unchangeable
• unchanging
• stationary
• uniform
• settled
• unvarying
• permanent
• persistent
• even
• changeless
• durable
• abiding
• equable
• lasting
• reliable
• true
• sure
• dependable
• trustworthy
• trusty
• tried
• tried-and-true

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

• impulsive
• volatile
• eccentric
• whimsical
• moody
• freakish
• romantic
• willful
• impetuous
• mercurial
• arbitrary
• temperamental
• shaky
• quirky
• flaky
• fickle
• erratic
• inconstant
• impractical
• quixotic
• unrealistic
• crankish
• irregular
• utopian
• visionary
• quixotical

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reasonable
• practical
• equable
• pragmatic
• sensible
• matter-of-fact
• rational
• logical
• earthy
• hardheaded
• sound
• down-to-earth
• grounded
• sane
• inflexible
• invariable
• unrelenting
• uncompromising
• unalterable
• immutable
• unchangeable
• unyielding
• commonsensical
• sober
• constant
• fixed
• unbending
• tough-minded
• levelheaded
• fast
• hard-and-fast
• stable
• steady
• unchanging
• steadfast
• unvarying
• hard-boiled
• changeless
• established
• no-nonsense
• sobersided
• settled
• set

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective capricious differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of capricious are fickle, inconstant, mercurial, and unstable. While all these words mean "lacking firmness or steadiness (as in purpose or devotion)," capricious suggests motivation by sudden whim or fancy and stresses unpredictability.

an utterly capricious critic

When can fickle be used instead of capricious?

In some situations, the words fickle and capricious are roughly equivalent. However, fickle suggests unreliability because of perverse changeability and incapacity for steadfastness.

performers discover how fickle fans can be

Where would inconstant be a reasonable alternative to capricious?

Although the words inconstant and capricious have much in common, inconstant implies an incapacity for steadiness and an inherent tendency to change.

an inconstant friend

When could mercurial be used to replace capricious?

The meanings of mercurial and capricious largely overlap; however, mercurial implies a rapid changeability in mood.

made anxious by her boss's mercurial temperament

When might unstable be a better fit than capricious?

While the synonyms unstable and capricious are close in meaning, unstable implies an incapacity for remaining in a fixed position or steady course and applies especially to a lack of emotional balance.

too unstable to hold a job

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of capricious

With an ecosystem as capricious as this, the local wildlife is born and bred to go with the flow—think gentle-but-giant humpback whales, colonies of industrious beavers, and torpedoing peregrine falcons, the fastest animals on Earth. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Aug. 2026

The Dane crashed in the final 20km of the stage — refusing to blame the impact of tiredness from the drugs test, though teammates, coaches, and fellow riders all named it a contributing factor — a reminder of how capricious the race can be. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 July 2026

Both songs lean into booming, elastic layers of electronics and capricious tempo modulations, reflecting her determination to remain bold and unclassifiable. — Maria Nenet Barrios, Pitchfork, 21 July 2026

Judge Christopher Wagner said Thursday the NCAA eligibility rules have been applied in an arbitrary and capricious manner. — ABC News, 9 July 2026

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