CAPRICIOUSLY Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

capriciously

adverb

as in arbitrarily

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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Recent Examples of capriciously Permits that are granted and withdrawn capriciously, tax credits that come and go, technologies that fall in or out of favor in successive administrations, and endless legal battles all amount to dangerous barriers to investment. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026 That standard would uphold the NCAA’s interpretation of the waiver rule so long as the NCAA didn’t act arbitrarily or capriciously, either of which is difficult to show. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for capriciously

Adverb

This kind of beauty has nothing to do with perfection, which is distributed so arbitrarily and approximated so gracelessly.

— Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026
This allows cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and no longer arbitrarily subjects them to traffic control measures designed for other types of vehicles.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026

Definition of arbitrarily

Adverb

Flying an unmanned aircraft system carelessly or recklessly, interfering with a first responder operation, is also a misdemeanor under state law and San Diego municipal code.

— Sydney Brammer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2026
Officials said activities connected to people ‒ from fireworks to carelessly discarded cigarettes ‒ have sparked 75% of wildfires in Utah in 2026.

— Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 30 June 2026

Definition of carelessly

Adverb

Out in the high desert near Cabazon, my favorite stops are Hadley’s Fruit Orchards, home of the famous Hadley date shakes, and the whimsically Cabazon Dinosaur sculptors.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
No landlord would allow an occupant to change his property without approval, let alone whimsically destroy a third of it.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026

Definition of whimsically

Adverb

The 1962 film version featured a more innocent family with a daughter who’s presexual and thus a naïve object of lust for Robert Mitchum’s casually lascivious Cady.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 17 July 2026
In a video that’s racking up millions of views online, a curious bear strolled up to a golf cart at Golden Eagle Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, helped itself to a player's golf bag, then casually dragged it away from the tee box.

— Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 17 July 2026

Definition of casually

Adverb

After being randomly selected through an online registration and raffle, only a select few of the luckiest of fans were granted entry to the event.

— Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026
Pitts, appointed to the bench by President Joe Biden in 2023, was randomly assigned the case on Tuesday.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 15 July 2026

Definition of randomly

Adverb

Huxley’s critique is clear; America mistakes body for spirit, promiscuously confusing the physical with the metaphysical.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
Political factions are steered by big personalities, and politicians jump promiscuously between parties.

— BEN BLAND, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2024

Definition of promiscuously

Adverb

Someone who gets hives or has gastrointestinal distress irregularly might not identify their dinner as the trigger of the symptoms, or might assume food poisoning.

— Eva Flowe May 29, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, meant that his heart was beating irregularly, which could lead to blood clots, stroke, or heart failure.

— Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026

Definition of irregularly

Browse Nearby Words

capricious

capriciously

capriciousness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Capriciously.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/capriciously. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of capriciously

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

stalwart

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes