capriciousness: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Formal to literary; common in analytical, critical, or descriptive contexts (e.g., literary criticism, political analysis, psychology).
Quick answer
What does “capriciousness” mean?
The quality of being given to sudden and unpredictable changes of mood, behaviour, or opinion.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The quality of being given to sudden and unpredictable changes of mood, behaviour, or opinion.
A state or characteristic marked by an impulsive, erratic, or whimsical nature, often implying unreliability or a lack of sound judgment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Slightly higher frequency in British literary and journalistic contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, implies a lack of steadfastness, potentially leading to unfair or frustrating outcomes.
Frequency
Low frequency in everyday speech; primarily found in written, formal English.
Grammar
How to Use “capriciousness” in a Sentence
the capriciousness of [NP]criticise someone for their capriciousnessbe a victim of bureaucratic capriciousnessVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “capriciousness” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The manager's decision to capriciously change the project goals caused widespread dismay.
American English
- The policy was applied capriciously, favoring some applicants while arbitrarily rejecting others.
adverb
British English
- He spent his inheritance capriciously, buying a vintage car one week and funding an expedition the next.
American English
- The rules seemed to be enforced capriciously, depending on who was on duty.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Describing erratic market behaviour or unpredictable management decisions.
Academic
Analysing historical figures, literary characters, or political systems.
Everyday
Rare; might describe frustratingly changeable weather or a friend's unreliable plans.
Technical
In law, referring to arbitrary administrative or judicial action lacking a rational basis.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “capriciousness”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “capriciousness”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “capriciousness”
- Misspelling as 'capricousness' (missing 'i').
- Using it to mean simple 'creativity' or 'playfulness' without the negative connotation of unreliability.
- Overusing in informal contexts where 'moodiness' or 'unpredictability' would suffice.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily negative. It criticises a lack of consistency, reason, or reliability, especially when others are affected by the unpredictability.
'Whimsy' suggests playful, harmless, and often charming unpredictability. 'Capriciousness' implies a more troublesome, irrational, or irresponsible changeability.
Yes, it's often applied metaphorically to things like weather, markets, fate, or technology (e.g., 'the capriciousness of the old printer').
It is most commonly used in the pattern 'the capriciousness of [something/someone]' (e.g., 'the capriciousness of fashion', 'the capriciousness of his temper').
The quality of being given to sudden and unpredictable changes of mood, behaviour, or opinion.
Capriciousness is usually formal to literary; common in analytical, critical, or descriptive contexts (e.g., literary criticism, political analysis, psychology). in register.
Capriciousness: in British English it is pronounced /kəˈprɪʃəsnəs/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˈprɪʃəsnəs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Blow hot and cold (related concept)”
- “As changeable as the weather (related concept)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CAPRICious goat (from Latin 'caper' = goat) jumping unpredictably from thought to thought, plus the suffix '-NESS' for the state of being.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE MIND/EMOTIONS ARE UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER ('storms of capriciousness', 'whimsical breezes').
Practice
Quiz
Which scenario BEST exemplifies 'capriciousness'?