whim

[hwim, wim]

noun

1. an odd or capricious notion or desire; a sudden or freakish fancy.

   a sudden whim to take a midnight walk.

   Synonyms: caprice, vagary, whimsy

2. capricious humor.

   to be swayed by whim.

whim

/ wɪm /

noun

1. a sudden, passing, and often fanciful idea; impulsive or irrational thought

2. a horse-drawn winch formerly used in mining to lift ore or water

Word History and Origins

Origin of whim¹

First recorded in 1635–45; short for whim-wham

Word History and Origins

Origin of whim¹

C17: from _whim-wham

Example Sentences

"You can be the cream of the crop one day and cold porridge the next - gone in a whim if you don't live up to expectations," he said.

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“I just remember sound effects — or specifically haunted mansion albums were just around. It was a little bit of a nagging whim. Like, ‘Huh, whatever happened to those?

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He doesn’t care what they think and is righteously angry that they won’t bend to his whims quite as readily as university presidents and elite law firms do.

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“These women were awaiting trial and had no way of escaping a predator who literally held the keys to their captivity and ordered them to perform at his every whim.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Prodigy views her as a machine built to fulfill her creator’s whims.

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Related Words

• impulse 
• inclination 
• vagary