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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective fickle differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of fickle are capricious, inconstant, mercurial, and unstable. While all these words mean "lacking firmness or steadiness (as in purpose or devotion)," fickle suggests unreliability because of perverse changeability and incapacity for steadfastness.

performers discover how fickle fans can be

In what contexts can capricious take the place of fickle?

In some situations, the words capricious and fickle are roughly equivalent. However, capricious suggests motivation by sudden whim or fancy and stresses unpredictability.

an utterly capricious critic

When could inconstant be used to replace fickle?

The meanings of inconstant and fickle largely overlap; however, inconstant implies an incapacity for steadiness and an inherent tendency to change.

an inconstant friend

When is mercurial a more appropriate choice than fickle?

While the synonyms mercurial and fickle are close in meaning, mercurial implies a rapid changeability in mood.

made anxious by her boss's mercurial temperament

When might unstable be a better fit than fickle?

The synonyms unstable and fickle are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

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 fickle But the stock market is fickle, and Musk was back on top by the end of the day, at least according to Bloomberg, as Oracle gave up a bit of its earlier gains. Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025 This is especially true when considering its journey through fickle and quick-witted Gemini, a prelude of what’s to come after its official debut on July 7 for the first time in 84 years. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025 But in the tailoring space, where traditions are more tightly held than in the fickle world of fashion, there has been a more consistent love of the style. Nick Hendry, Robb Report, 6 Sep. 2025 The stickiness of such materials is fickle, which means her home is constantly unraveling and requires a steady influx of cheap supplies from eBay, Etsy, and Amazon. Laura Bannister, Curbed, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fickle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fickle
Adjective
  • In such a volatile climate, remarks that appear dismissive or insensitive can end careers, as networks and broadcasters face mounting pressure to act.
    Martha McHardy Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Relief pitching might be among the more volatile areas if not the department offering the most volatility.
    Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Clarisse looks intimidating climbing out of a boat, as does Bushnell’s traitorous Luke, who wields a sharp-looking knife.
    Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 24 July 2025
  • There's a delicious whodunit aspect to it, too, as the list of five potentially traitorous suspects includes the operative's own high-profile wife (Cate Blanchett).
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 July 2025
Adjective
  • Charleston’s unpredictable climate means summer can stretch well into October, then randomly resurface in January.
    Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • With recent polls showing Mamdani leading his rivals by double digits, the intersection of Hochul’s pragmatism, Mamdani’s outreach, and the powerful symbolism of their evolving relationship promises a uniquely unpredictable contest for New York’s future.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This approach is unreliable because the proxy materials, like volcanic rock, might have been changed by geological processes or created long after the eggs were laid, resulting in incorrect age estimates.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Everyone knew taxis were an unreliable and largely unlovable service.
    David Malcolm, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Remote and treacherous, the Northwest Passage has been transited less than 500 times in recorded history.
    Robin Catalano, AFAR Media, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Ignoring his father’s plea, Spike, upon his return home, decides to venture through the treacherous territory of the infected with his ailing mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), to see if Kelson can help cure her.
    Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The false assurance was more than a slip.
    Eric Tucker, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Robinson, the founder of the now-defunct anti-immigration English Defence League (EDL), was released from prison earlier this year, having been jailed for being in contempt of court by repeating false accusations about a Syrian refugee.
    Catherine Nicholls, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The self is a shifting, inconstant phenomenon, brain and body ever transforming in time and space, with no clear delineation between what is self and what is other.
    Lauren Groff, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
  • If the United States is an unreliable partner and a source of chaos these countries will turn elsewhere, building new security and trade alliances that don’t depend on the inconstant, waning superpower.
    Lydia Polgreen, Mercury News, 27 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fickle. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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