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

Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, by contrast, was a novice candidate who ran for governor on a whim.

From Los Angeles Times

“I was in Lake Como on a sisters’ trip when I got an invite at the last minute and decided to go on a whim, and Andrea was tired.

From MarketWatch

Acting and singing for a living isn’t exactly the most stable profession, and despite his fame, Platt is still at the whims of a changing and increasingly volatile industry.

From Los Angeles Times

Farming requires an enormous amount of working capital each year, and crops are subject to the whims of the weather.

From Barron's

Idiosyncratic, resting wholly on personal whim, and irrevocable.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• impulse
• inclination
• vagary