View synonyms for capriciousness

capriciousness

[ kuh-prish-uhs-nis, -pree-shuhs- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the quality of being led by or subject to sudden, odd notions or changes; arbitrary or erratic character:
Some countries have gone to great lengths to build up a war chest of reserves to insure against the capriciousness of foreign investors.

First recorded in 1600–10; capricious ( def ) + -ness ( def )

More than anything, they reflect our uneasiness with the modern world, its complexity, and often its capriciousness.

Purges must go too far, because extreme capriciousness is what stops the frenzy.

Valeria, with her wonted capriciousness, veered round in defence of the institution that she had been just jeering at.

The Bay tree gives us a curious instance of the capriciousness of English plant names.

Their requests are granted or refused with absolute capriciousness.

But they are not full of it; it comes only now and then, with tantalizing capriciousness.

These gave the horse the reputation of capriciousness and unreliability.

April 25, 2024firkin

[fur-kin ]

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Browse