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

A battalion of chefs, butlers and drivers catering to the smallest of whims.

From Los Angeles Times

But he has never experienced anything like this before, where work is so dependent on the whims of a single man, he said.

From Los Angeles Times

And it has been deferential to his whims, but the Republican Party losing control of the House and Senate would be a major blow to his agenda.

From Los Angeles Times

When I talk to my older sister about her daughter being away from her all day, in someone else’s care and at the world’s whims, apprehension clouds the excitement she has for her kids.

From Salon

In other words, what our body politic is facing today is not substantively new; it’s only perceptually new to those who’ve never before been subject to the whims of a place like Tallahassee.

From Salon

Related Words

• impulse 
• inclination 
• vagary