MERCURIAL Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'mercurial' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mercurial are capricious , fickle , inconstant , and unstable . While all these words mean "lacking firmness or steadiness (as in purpose or devotion)," mercurial implies a rapid changeability in mood. // made anxious by her boss's mercurial temperament

Q: When could 'capricious' be used to replace 'mercurial'?

The words capricious and mercurial can be used in similar contexts, but capricious suggests motivation by sudden whim or fancy and stresses unpredictability. // an utterly capricious critic

Q: When is 'fickle' a more appropriate choice than 'mercurial'?

While in some cases nearly identical to mercurial , fickle suggests unreliability because of perverse changeability and incapacity for steadfastness. // performers discover how fickle fans can be

Q: When is it sensible to use 'inconstant' instead of 'mercurial'?

The synonyms inconstant and mercurial are sometimes interchangeable, but inconstant implies an incapacity for steadiness and an inherent tendency to change. // an inconstant friend

Q: When would 'unstable' be a good substitute for 'mercurial'?

Although the words unstable and mercurial have much in common, unstable implies an incapacity for remaining in a fixed position or steady course and applies especially to a lack of emotional balance. // too unstable to hold a job

mercurial

adjective

(ˌ)mər-ˈkyu̇r-ē-əl

Definition of mercurial next

as in volatile

likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly the boss's mood is so mercurial that we never know how he's going to react to anything

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How does the adjective mercurial differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mercurial are capricious, fickle, inconstant, and unstable. While all these words mean "lacking firmness or steadiness (as in purpose or devotion)," mercurial implies a rapid changeability in mood.

made anxious by her boss's mercurial temperament

When could capricious be used to replace mercurial?

The words capricious and mercurial can be used in similar contexts, but capricious suggests motivation by sudden whim or fancy and stresses unpredictability.

an utterly capricious critic

When is fickle a more appropriate choice than mercurial?

While in some cases nearly identical to mercurial, fickle suggests unreliability because of perverse changeability and incapacity for steadfastness.

performers discover how fickle fans can be

When is it sensible to use inconstant instead of mercurial?

The synonyms inconstant and mercurial are sometimes interchangeable, but inconstant implies an incapacity for steadiness and an inherent tendency to change.

an inconstant friend

When would unstable be a good substitute for mercurial?

Although the words unstable and mercurial have much in common, unstable implies an incapacity for remaining in a fixed position or steady course and applies especially to a lack of emotional balance.

too unstable to hold a job

Examples Sentences

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Recent Examples of mercurial The mercurial billionaire’s fawning support of a Republican candidate who promises to roll back environmental progress is a dilemma for a company whose core buyers identify as climate-conscious Democrats. —

Alan Ohnsman, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024 The mercurial population of the District of Columbia, with 8.48% of residents being newcomers, then North Dakota at 4.44%. —

Jonathan Lansner, Orange County Register, 1 Nov. 2024 Lee will play Gloria, a mercurial theater actress whose magnetic personality and unpredictable allure upend the life of Dafoe’s Ed Saxberger, a former poet rediscovered by a group of young artists. —

Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 24 Oct. 2024 The film projects are personal in ways that are almost uncomfortable to discuss, with Maria — for which Jolie spent more than six months learning to sing, breathe and walk like the mercurial soprano — a portrait of an icon imprisoned by her own image. —

Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mercurial