Whimsical — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈ(h)wim-zi-kəl/ whim·si·cal

Meaning & Definition of Whimsical

Whimsical (adjective)

  1. resulting from or characterized by whim or caprice; especially, lightly fanciful
  2. subject to erratic behavior or unpredictable change
  3. full of, actuated by, or exhibiting whims

Whimsical (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. prone to sudden illogical changes of mind, ideas, or actions

    "it's hard to make plans with such a whimsical best friend"

    similar: capricious, freakish, impulsive
    related: impetuous, mercurial, moody, temperamental, volatile, crankish, eccentric, flaky, quirky, arbitrary, erratic, fickle, inconstant, irregular, shaky, willful, impractical, quixotic, quixotical, romantic, unrealistic, utopian, visionary
    near: equable, down-to-earth, earthy, hard-boiled, hardheaded, levelheaded, matter-of-fact, practical, pragmatic, reasonable, sensible, tough-minded, commonsensical, grounded, logical, no-nonsense, rational, sane, sober, sobersided, sound, fast, fixed, hard-and-fast, immutable, inflexible, invariable, unalterable, unbending, unchangeable, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding, changeless, constant, established, set, settled, stable, steadfast, steady, unchanging, unvarying

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Whimsical

The most common words with a similar meaning to Whimsical:

capricious, freakish, impulsive

Related Words for Whimsical

impetuous, mercurial, moody, temperamental, volatile, crankish, eccentric, flaky, quirky, arbitrary, erratic, fickle, inconstant, irregular, shaky, willful, impractical, quixotic, quixotical, romantic, unrealistic, utopian, visionary

Near Antonyms of Whimsical

equable, down-to-earth, earthy, hard-boiled, hardheaded, levelheaded, matter-of-fact, practical, pragmatic, reasonable, sensible, tough-minded, commonsensical, grounded, logical, no-nonsense, rational, sane, sober, sobersided, sound, fast, fixed, hard-and-fast, immutable, inflexible, invariable, unalterable, unbending, unchangeable

Word Forms of Whimsical

Derived words: whimsicality (noun), whimsically (adverb), whimsicalness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Whimsical

whimsy

First known use: 1653

Frequently Asked Questions about Whimsical

What does "Whimsical" mean?

"Whimsical" means resulting from or characterized by whim or caprice; especially, lightly fanciful. As an adjective, it is defined as: resulting from or characterized by whim or caprice; especially, lightly fanciful.

What is another word for "Whimsical"?

Other words for "Whimsical" include capricious, freakish and impulsive. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Whimsical" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Whimsical"?

There are 26 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Whimsical". Common alternatives include capricious, freakish and impulsive.

How do you use "Whimsical" in a sentence?

Examples of "Whimsical" in a sentence: "it's hard to make plans with such a whimsical best friend".

Is "Whimsical" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Whimsical" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Whimsical"?

"Whimsical" is pronounced /ˈ(h)wim-zi-kəl/ and divided into syllables as whim·si·cal.

What is the origin of the word "Whimsical"?

"Whimsical" comes from whimsy. First known use: 1653.

What is another word for "Whimsical" meaning "prone to sudden illogical changes of mind, ideas, or actions"?

When "Whimsical" (adjective) means prone to sudden illogical changes of mind, ideas, or actions, synonyms include capricious, freakish and impulsive.