Mercurial
adjective
Changing quickly and often.
He has a mercurial temperament and can be very moody.
adjective
Related to the planet Mercury.
The mercurial orbit around the sun is the smallest of the solar system.
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Relating to the element mercury.
The mercurial thermometer broke and spilled mercury everywhere.
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood.
Her mercurial smile disappeared when she heard the bad news.
adjective
Changing quickly and often.
He has a mercurial temperament and can be very moody.
adjective
Related to the planet Mercury.
The mercurial orbit around the sun is the smallest of the solar system.
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Relating to the element mercury.
The mercurial thermometer broke and spilled mercury everywhere.
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood.
Her mercurial smile disappeared when she heard the bad news.
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Implication
Suggests someone's mood is unpredictable, which might be viewed negatively.
The coach's mercurial decisions make the team anxious.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Literal
'Mercurial' describes behavior, not physical changes or appearances.
His mercurial stance on the project kept everyone guessing.
Pro Tip 3/3Use with Caution
Can be insulting if used to describe someone without careful thought.
Being labeled mercurial affected her reputation at work.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Implication
Suggests someone's mood is unpredictable, which might be viewed negatively.
The coach's mercurial decisions make the team anxious.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Literal
'Mercurial' describes behavior, not physical changes or appearances.
His mercurial stance on the project kept everyone guessing.
Pro Tip 3/3Use with Caution
Can be insulting if used to describe someone without careful thought.
Being labeled mercurial affected her reputation at work.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Implication
Suggests someone's mood is unpredictable, which might be viewed negatively.
The coach's mercurial decisions make the team anxious.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Literal
'Mercurial' describes behavior, not physical changes or appearances.
His mercurial stance on the project kept everyone guessing.
Pro Tip 3/3Use with Caution
Can be insulting if used to describe someone without careful thought.
Being labeled mercurial affected her reputation at work.
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Quote examples
Ayelet Waldman
Israeli Novelist
The capacity for extravagant emotion that my husband finds so attractive in me can be exhausting, especially to a child. My moods are mercurial, and this can be terrifying. I know, because I was a daughter of a mother with a changeable temperament.
Quote examples
H. Jon Benjamin
American Actor
Writing is the hardest for me. It doesn't come as naturally as the other forms, and I feel far more dread during the process. Acting and voice acting are more mercurial and maybe come a little easier to me.
Quote examples
Abi Morgan
Welsh Playwright
Splendour' broke through to new territory for me. It exposed my commitment to writing for women: my desire to recognise that they can be as aggressive, violent, mercurial, and complex as men.
Quote examples
Andy Serkis
English Actor
I've done a lot of films that are purely live-action roles, and even if I hadn't come across performance capture as a technology, I think I'd always consider myself a sort of mercurial actor.
Quote examples
Bill Bailey
English Comedian
There was something about stand-up that music wouldn't give me, which was my love of the spoken word and the mercurial tendency of language to respond to what happens to you.
Quote examples
Kalki Koechlin
French Actress
I will say that my style sense is very mercurial. There are days when I love to be all comfy, relaxed in casual wear, and there are days when I go all matching, matching.
Quote examples
Pat McGrath
Makeup is malleable and mercurial: The biggest joy I have every day is the opportunity to create, to play, and to invent with something I've loved forever.
Quote examples
Reggie Fils-Aime
American Businessman
The marketplace is absolutely mercurial. But what I love about our company is that we create a vision, and then we go all in.
Quote examples
Lexa Doig
Canadian Actress
I'm totally on a mission to find my signature scent, but I'm too mercurial.
Quote examples
Dervla Kirwan
Irish Actress
I am quite a mercurial person.
Quote examples
Ayelet Waldman
Israeli Novelist
The capacity for extravagant emotion that my husband finds so attractive in me can be exhausting, especially to a child. My moods are mercurial, and this can be terrifying. I know, because I was a daughter of a mother with a changeable temperament.
Quote examples
H. Jon Benjamin
American Actor
Writing is the hardest for me. It doesn't come as naturally as the other forms, and I feel far more dread during the process. Acting and voice acting are more mercurial and maybe come a little easier to me.
Quote examples
Abi Morgan
Welsh Playwright
Splendour' broke through to new territory for me. It exposed my commitment to writing for women: my desire to recognise that they can be as aggressive, violent, mercurial, and complex as men.
Quote examples
Andy Serkis
English Actor
I've done a lot of films that are purely live-action roles, and even if I hadn't come across performance capture as a technology, I think I'd always consider myself a sort of mercurial actor.
Quote examples
Bill Bailey
English Comedian
There was something about stand-up that music wouldn't give me, which was my love of the spoken word and the mercurial tendency of language to respond to what happens to you.
Quote examples
Kalki Koechlin
French Actress
I will say that my style sense is very mercurial. There are days when I love to be all comfy, relaxed in casual wear, and there are days when I go all matching, matching.
Quote examples
Pat McGrath
Makeup is malleable and mercurial: The biggest joy I have every day is the opportunity to create, to play, and to invent with something I've loved forever.
Quote examples
Reggie Fils-Aime
American Businessman
The marketplace is absolutely mercurial. But what I love about our company is that we create a vision, and then we go all in.
Quote examples
Lexa Doig
Canadian Actress
I'm totally on a mission to find my signature scent, but I'm too mercurial.
Quote examples
Dervla Kirwan
Irish Actress
I am quite a mercurial person.
Example 1 of 10
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