whim

American  

[hwim, wim] / ʰwɪm, wɪm /

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.

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whim British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of whim

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

Example Sentences

On a whim, I reach for the keyboard again and type “Bermuda” and “spearfishing” into the search engine.

From Literature

And just about as detached from the whims of the modern markets.

From The Wall Street Journal

Suppliers accustomed to catering to Apple’s every whim are gaining the leverage to demand that the iPhone maker pay more.

From The Wall Street Journal

He also is a decisive leader who isn’t afraid to make decisions that buck conventional wisdom or the whims of his, or any, party.

From The Wall Street Journal

The unusual IPO timing underscores Musk's history of mixing personal whims with business decisions.

From Barron's

Related Words

• impulse
• inclination
• vagary