capriciousness

American

[kuh-prish-uhs-nis, -pree-shuhs-] / kəˈprɪʃ əs nɪs, -ˈpri ʃəs- /

noun

the quality of being led by or subject to sudden, odd notions or changes; arbitrary or erratic character.

Some countries have gone to great lengths to build up a war chest of reserves to insure against the capriciousness of foreign investors.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of capriciousness

First recorded in 1600–10; capricious ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

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.

They include the rule of law and a lack of regulatory capriciousness in the U.S.

From Barron's • Jan. 7, 2026

Few who work in immigration law are surprised by the story; the capriciousness of America’s broken immigration system seems to be the rule, not the exception.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2023

Struggle — to protect loved ones, to navigate a warming planet, to escape strife and oppression, to survive nature’s capriciousness.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 30, 2023

Few places illustrate the capriciousness of climate change better than the Antarctic Peninsula.

From New York Times • Nov. 8, 2022

At church Father Mike appeared and disappeared with the capriciousness of a divinity.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023