capricious

adjective ca·pri·cious \kə-ˈpri-shəs, -ˈprē-\

: changing often and quickly; especially : often changing suddenly in mood or behavior

: not logical or reasonable : based on an idea, desire, etc., that is not possible to predict

Full Definition of CAPRICIOUS

: governed or characterized by caprice : impulsive, unpredictable

— ca·pri·cious·ly adverb

— ca·pri·cious·ness noun

See capricious defined for English-language learners

See capricious defined for kids

Examples of CAPRICIOUS

… every balloon voyage is a race between capricious winds and the amount of fuel on board. —Tom Morganthau, Newsweek, 29 Mar. 1999
She is capricious, however, and is said to take bribes and wantonly peddle her influence from time to time. —Hunter S. Thompson, Rolling Stone, 15 Dec. 1994
Lady Luck is a capricious mother who, as in a recurrent nightmare, always offers, never comes through, and never stops smiling. —Hugh Drummond, Boston Magazine, November 1989
I don't believe in random occurrences or blind chance, though I know the patterns of this world are capricious and terribly complex. —Leslie Marmon Silko, letter, 21 Aug. 1979
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Origin of CAPRICIOUS

(see caprice)

First Known Use: 1601

Related to CAPRICIOUS

Synonyms: fickle, changeable, changeful, flickery, fluctuating, fluid, inconsistent, inconstant, mercurial, mutable, skittish, temperamental, uncertain, unpredictable, unsettled, unstable, unsteady, variable, volatile

Antonyms: certain, changeless, constant, immutable, invariable, predictable, settled, stable, stationary, steady, unchangeable, unchanging, unvarying

Synonym Discussion of CAPRICIOUS

inconstant, fickle, capricious, mercurial, unstable mean lacking firmness or steadiness (as in purpose or devotion). inconstant implies an incapacity for steadiness and an inherent tendency to change <an inconstant friend>. fickle suggests unreliability because of perverse changeability and incapacity for steadfastness <performers discover how fickle fans can be>. capricious suggests motivation by sudden whim or fancy and stresses unpredictability <an utterly capricious critic>. mercurial implies a rapid changeability in mood <made anxious by her boss's mercurial temperament>. 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>.