Synonyms of caprice

caprice

noun

kə-ˈprēs 

1

as in whim

a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action

an out-of-character caprice led him to take the day off from work and go to the beach

Synonyms & Similar Words

• whim
• vagary
• whimsey
• whimsy
• notion
• bee
• vagrancy
• humor
• megrim
• maggot
• kink
• capriciousness
• crank
• fancy
• freak
• fantasy
• phantasy
• thought
• bee in one's bonnet
• image
• whimsicality
• impression
• fancifulness
• impetuosity
• conception
• freakishness
• conceit
• picture
• concept
• inspiration
• mind's eye
• brainstorm

2

as in impulsiveness

an inclination to sudden illogical changes of mind, ideas, or actions

his knack for picking racetrack winners appears to owe as much to caprice as it does to a canny assessment of horseflesh

Synonyms & Similar Words

• impulsiveness
• capriciousness
• whimsicality
• freakishness
• willfulness
• flexibility
• eccentricity
• variableness
• unpredictability
• whimsicalness
• variability
• arbitrariness
• irregularity
• fickleness
• volatility
• moodiness
• mutability
• changeability
• flakiness
• inconstancy
• mercurialness
• volatileness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reasonableness
• practicality
• inflexibility
• reasonability
• firmness
• invariability
• fixedness
• immutability
• levelheadedness
• stability
• fastness
• constancy
• steadiness
• immovability
• steadfastness
• changelessness
• immovableness

Synonym Chooser

How is the word caprice distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of caprice are crotchet, vagary, and whim. While all these words mean "an irrational or unpredictable idea or desire," caprice stresses lack of apparent motivation and suggests willfulness.

by sheer caprice she quit her job

When could crotchet be used to replace caprice?

In some situations, the words crotchet and caprice are roughly equivalent. However, crotchet implies an eccentric opinion or preference.

a serious scientist equally known for his bizarre crotchets

Where would vagary be a reasonable alternative to caprice?

The words vagary and caprice can be used in similar contexts, but vagary stresses the erratic, irresponsible character of the notion or desire.

he had been prone to strange vagaries

When can whim be used instead of caprice?

The synonyms whim and caprice are sometimes interchangeable, but whim implies a fantastic, capricious turn of mind or inclination.

an odd antique that was bought on a whim

Examples of caprice in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Through such quasi-jingoism, Ritchie depicts WWII conflict as a movie buff’s caprice. —Armond White, National Review, 19 Apr. 2024

East German citizens may have been expected to embrace the West, but many people who had enjoyed secure employment suddenly found their skills harshly subjected to the caprices of the marketplace. —Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2023

Walks outside, even just to the walled-in courtyard, are granted or withheld with similar caprice. —Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023

This is true, few citizens of a democracy retaining the popular favor, without making a sacrifice of those principles, which conflict with popular caprices. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 9 Oct. 2023