Capricious
adjective
Someone or something that changes mood or behavior quickly and unexpectedly.
The weather here is very capricious; it changes from sunny to cloudy within minutes.
Often appears as...
- capricious weather
- capricious mood
adjective
Making decisions or taking actions based on sudden desires or whims, not on a plan or logic.
His capricious behavior made it difficult for his team to follow his leadership.
Often appears as...
- capricious decision
- capricious leadership
adjective
In random or unpredictable manner, especially when causing damage or inconvenience.
The judge ruled against the capricious enforcement of the law.
Often appears as...
- capricious enforcement
- capricious application
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Legal
adjective
Someone or something that changes mood or behavior quickly and unexpectedly.
The weather here is very capricious; it changes from sunny to cloudy within minutes.
Often appears as...
- capricious weather
- capricious mood
adjective
Making decisions or taking actions based on sudden desires or whims, not on a plan or logic.
His capricious behavior made it difficult for his team to follow his leadership.
Often appears as...
- capricious decision
- capricious leadership
adjective
In random or unpredictable manner, especially when causing damage or inconvenience.
The judge ruled against the capricious enforcement of the law.
Often appears as...
- capricious enforcement
- capricious application
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Legal
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Unexpected Shifts
Think of 'capricious' as sudden changes in mood or plans that you didn't see coming.
Her capricious whims left us scrambling for a new meeting time.
Pro Tip 2/3Weather Metaphor
Use 'capricious' like a metaphor to describe weather to understand its unpredictable nature.
Planning a picnic with our capricious climate is a gamble.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
'Capricious' often implies a negative view of unpredictability, suggesting inconvenience.
They avoided him due to his capricious moods.
Pro Tip 1/3Unexpected Shifts
Think of 'capricious' as sudden changes in mood or plans that you didn't see coming.
Her capricious whims left us scrambling for a new meeting time.
Pro Tip 2/3Weather Metaphor
Use 'capricious' like a metaphor to describe weather to understand its unpredictable nature.
Planning a picnic with our capricious climate is a gamble.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
'Capricious' often implies a negative view of unpredictability, suggesting inconvenience.
They avoided him due to his capricious moods.
Pro Tip 1/3Unexpected Shifts
Think of 'capricious' as sudden changes in mood or plans that you didn't see coming.
Her capricious whims left us scrambling for a new meeting time.
Pro Tip 2/3Weather Metaphor
Use 'capricious' like a metaphor to describe weather to understand its unpredictable nature.
Planning a picnic with our capricious climate is a gamble.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
'Capricious' often implies a negative view of unpredictability, suggesting inconvenience.
They avoided him due to his capricious moods.
Never forget "Capricious"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
Pointing to the future...
And to write a new operating system was not a capricious matter. It wasn't just a matter of tuning up some graphics routines. There were no graphics routines. There were no mouse drivers. So it was a necessity. But in the quarter-century since then, we've seen all of the fundamental supporting technologies go berserk.
Video examples
Pointing to the future...
And to write a new operating system was not a capricious matter. It wasn't just a matter of tuning up some graphics routines. There were no graphics routines. There were no mouse drivers. So it was a necessity. But in the quarter-century since then, we've seen all of the fundamental supporting technologies go berserk.
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
William Hurt
American Actor
Not to be offensive, not to be capricious, not to be arbitrary, not to be neurotic, not to be an actor outer, you're just trying to get in and you're given so little time to get in gently, but it's always hard.
Quote examples
Natalie Dormer
English Actress
Actors have this amazing skill - we bond quite quickly but equally we move on quite quickly. There's nothing particularly cold or capricious about it - we're troubadours and lead a troubadour's lifestyle.
Quote examples
Amor Towles
American Novelist
By their very nature, human beings are so capricious, so complex, so delightfully contradictory, that they deserve not only our consideration but our reconsideration.
Quote examples
George Ryan
American Politician
Because the Illinois death penalty system is arbitrary and capricious - and therefore immoral - I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death.
Quote examples
Barbara W. Tuchman
American Historian
Reasonable orders are easy enough to obey; it is capricious, bureaucratic or plain idiotic demands that form the habit of discipline.
Quote examples
M. J. Hyland
English Author
Life is ruthless, and its bestowal of fortune arbitrary and capricious. I'd been born to morons, and mine was a shabby life.
Quote examples
Bae Suzy
South Korean Musician
I believe there are various aspects of me - sometimes I am very capricious and cannot make up my mind, so I'm unpredictable!
Quote examples
Pierce Brosnan
Irish Actor
You're always going to have to prove yourself, because acting is such a capricious game.
Quote examples
Benjamin Disraeli
British Statesman
A consistent soul believes in destiny, a capricious one in chance.
Quote examples
John Cheever
American Writer
I do not understand the capricious lewdness of the sleeping mind.
Quote examples
William Hurt
American Actor
Not to be offensive, not to be capricious, not to be arbitrary, not to be neurotic, not to be an actor outer, you're just trying to get in and you're given so little time to get in gently, but it's always hard.
Quote examples
Natalie Dormer
English Actress
Actors have this amazing skill - we bond quite quickly but equally we move on quite quickly. There's nothing particularly cold or capricious about it - we're troubadours and lead a troubadour's lifestyle.
Quote examples
Amor Towles
American Novelist
By their very nature, human beings are so capricious, so complex, so delightfully contradictory, that they deserve not only our consideration but our reconsideration.
Quote examples
George Ryan
American Politician
Because the Illinois death penalty system is arbitrary and capricious - and therefore immoral - I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death.
Quote examples
Barbara W. Tuchman
American Historian
Reasonable orders are easy enough to obey; it is capricious, bureaucratic or plain idiotic demands that form the habit of discipline.
Quote examples
M. J. Hyland
English Author
Life is ruthless, and its bestowal of fortune arbitrary and capricious. I'd been born to morons, and mine was a shabby life.
Quote examples
Bae Suzy
South Korean Musician
I believe there are various aspects of me - sometimes I am very capricious and cannot make up my mind, so I'm unpredictable!
Quote examples
Pierce Brosnan
Irish Actor
You're always going to have to prove yourself, because acting is such a capricious game.
Quote examples
Benjamin Disraeli
British Statesman
A consistent soul believes in destiny, a capricious one in chance.
Quote examples
John Cheever
American Writer
I do not understand the capricious lewdness of the sleeping mind.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension