capriciously
capriciously — adverb
1. Acting or changing without following any steady plan, so that other people are c
Acting or changing without following any steady plan, so that other people are caught off guard by each new direction.
Vikram spent his inheritance capriciously, buying a boat one week and selling it the next.
pattern: spend + capriciously, showing opposite actions
The weather in early spring changes capriciously, with sunny mornings turning into snowy afternoons.
Tanvi's boss acted capriciously, giving her a promotion on Monday and then cancelling it on Wednesday.
Share prices swung capriciously all morning, climbing fast before lunch and dropping just as quickly after.
- unpredictably
neutral, without the negative tone of wilfulness
- whimsically
more playful or light-hearted; capriciously has a critical edge
- erratically
focuses on lack of pattern; capriciously adds the sense of personal choice
- consistently
acting the same way each time
- steadily
changing in a smooth, planned manner
常見錯誤
capriciously — adjective
- capriciouslypositive
- more capriciouslycomparative
- most capriciouslysuperlative
1. Acting according to a sudden feeling or wish rather than careful thought, so tha
Acting according to a sudden feeling or wish rather than careful thought, so that decisions lack a clear reason and often surprise other people.
Adaeze made a capricious decision to quit her job and fly to Japan the same night.
capricious decision + sudden life change
The capricious toddler refused to eat his favourite meal simply because the plate had a scratch on it.
Hana's capricious approach to furniture buying meant she returned every item within a week.
Heather regretted her capricious choice of wallpaper, which she had ordered on a whim at two in the morning.
- measured
done with careful consideration
- deliberate
planned in advance
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person or a person's action (decision, choice, behaviour). Unlike sense 3, the focus here is on the whim itself rather than general instability.
常見錯誤
2. Based on personal preference rather than any fair or logical rule, so that the o
Based on personal preference rather than any fair or logical rule, so that the outcome seems unreasonable to others.
The landlord's capricious rule let some tenants keep dogs while demanding others give theirs away.
capricious rule + unequal treatment
Students complained that the grading was capricious, with no clear standard for what earned top marks.
Iker found the parking fines capricious — one day a spot was fine, the next day it was illegal.
Constanza argued that the entry fee was capricious because families with three children paid the same as single visitors.
- arbitrary
more neutral; capricious adds a sense of sudden, wilful change
- unreasonable
broader — includes any unfairness, not just whims
- groundless
focuses on lack of evidence or basis
- reasonable
based on good sense and fairness
- consistent
applying the same standard every time
用法筆記
Often describes rules, policies, or fees that seem to have no consistent basis. Common in complaints about institutions.
3. Tending to shift frequently and without warning, making the person, situation, o
Tending to shift frequently and without warning, making the person, situation, or thing hard to rely on.
Aylin's capricious moods made it hard for her colleagues to predict how she would react.
capricious mood + effect on others
The capricious spring weather kept switching between bitter cold and warm sunshine all week.
Eitan found it exhausting to live with such a capricious flatmate who changed plans every hour.
Lakan's capricious taste in films meant his watchlist changed completely from Friday to Monday.
- fickle
nearly identical; fickle is more common for people, capricious for behaviour
- unpredictable
broader, less negative
- volatile
more formal, often for markets or substances
- steady
not changing in an alarming way
- predictable
easy to anticipate
用法筆記
The most general of the adjective senses — applies to people, weather, markets, tastes. Unlike sense 1, the emphasis is on frequent change itself rather than the suddenness of each whim.
常見錯誤
4. Lacking a proper legal foundation or solid evidence, so that a decision or claim
Lacking a proper legal foundation or solid evidence, so that a decision or claim is seen as baseless under established rules.
The judge dismissed the lawsuit as capricious, since the plaintiff had offered no supporting documents.
dismiss a case as capricious + lack of evidence
An appeals court overturned the capricious ruling, calling it an abuse of judicial power.
Layla argued that the search warrant was capricious because the police had relied on a single unverified tip.
Rin's lawyer claimed the arbitration award was capricious and asked the court to set it aside.
- baseless
broader — not limited to legal contexts
- groundless
focuses on lack of factual support
- unfounded
similar to groundless; common in legal writing
- well-founded
based on solid evidence or reasoning
- valid
legally acceptable and properly supported
用法筆記
A technical legal usage. Used to challenge court rulings, fines, warrants, or arbitration decisions. Not used for everyday complaints about unfairness.