capricious
What does capricious mean?
Changing suddenly and for no clear reason.
Capricious, six ways
How to pronounce capricious
kuh-PRISH-us/kəˈprɪʃəs/
Capricious in a sentence
- The capricious weather ruined the picnic.
- The landlord’s rules were capricious and kept changing.
- Markets can be capricious in the short run.
Synonyms for capricious
- fickleChanges affection or loyalty.
- erraticUnpredictable, without implying whim.
- mercurialQuick changes of mood, livelier.
Capricious vs mercurial: Capricious changes without reason. Mercurial changes fast, mood first. The difference, in plain English.
Where capricious comes from
Italian. Capriccio, a whim, originally a sudden shiver, probably from capo, head, and riccio, hedgehog: hair standing on end.
Good to know
Capricious suggests whim: changing because one feels like it. Said of weather, rulers and cats alike.
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Capricious on one card: what it means, how to say it, and a sentence. Keep it, or pin it for later.
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Words like capricious
mercurial · petulant · querulous · catharsis · candor · kismet · All 110 words
In: Words for people · SAT words