1
: a capricious or eccentric and often sudden idea or turn of the mind : fancy
quit his job on a whim
2
: a large capstan that is made with one or more radiating arms to which a horse may be yoked and that is used in mines for raising ore or water
Synonyms
Examples of whim in a Sentence
It's hard to predict voters' whims.
on a whim, we stopped at the roadside stand to get ice cream
Recent Examples on the Web
Still, there were no guarantees of how much green steel tech Gary would get; a company town inevitably depends on the whims and fortunes of its company.
—
Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
But this has also been driven by Russian threats and growing recognition that European security should be less dependent on the whims of Washington.
—Isabelle Khurshudyan and Ellen Francis The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 9 Feb. 2025
The tantrums on social media and stern, tough-guy prose from behind the resolute desk are getting results and moving various countries to cater to his whims or reassess their previous positions.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2025
Now, women are at the center of efforts to give the country lasting protections against the whims of strongmen.
—Pamodi Waravita, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for whim 
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Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
But this has also been driven by Russian threats and growing recognition that European security should be less dependent on the whims of Washington.
—Isabelle Khurshudyan and Ellen Francis The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 9 Feb. 2025
The tantrums on social media and stern, tough-guy prose from behind the resolute desk are getting results and moving various countries to cater to his whims or reassess their previous positions.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2025
Now, women are at the center of efforts to give the country lasting protections against the whims of strongmen.
—Pamodi Waravita, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for whim
Dictionary Entries Near whim
Cite this Entry
“Whim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whim. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
whim
noun
ˈhwim 
ˈwim
: an odd or sudden wish, desire, or change of mind
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