capricious
Americanadjective
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012Related Words
See fickle.
Other Word Forms
- capriciously adverb
- capriciousness noun
- noncapricious adjective
- noncapriciously adverb
- uncapricious adjective
- uncapriciously adverb
Etymology
Origin of capricious
First recorded in 1585–95; from French capricieux, from Italian capriccioso capriccioso
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The deal, she said, likely violated the Administrative Procedure Act’s prohibition on government agencies from acting in an “arbitrary and capricious” manner, and didn’t comply with requirements in the Internal Revenue Code.
“The CFTC’s characterization of political contests, awards contests, and sporting events as forms of ‘gaming’ is arbitrary and capricious,” the letter said.
From Barron's
Instead, the narration jumps forward, flashes back and stalls, for brief periods, in the capricious memory of the narrator, John Dowell.
Judge Susan Illston indicated unions are likely to succeed in claims that the layoffs are “arbitrary and capricious” and for “political retribution.”
From Barron's
His unofficial retirement was partly chosen, partly imposed by a capricious industry.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
