whim

/wɪm/ (bre, ipa) · /wɪm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈ(h)wim/ (ame, mw)

whim — noun

  • whimsingular
  • whimsplural

1. A sudden thought or desire, often without a clear reason, that makes a person ac

1.名詞B2
釋義

A sudden thought or desire, often without a clear reason, that makes a person act on impulse rather than through careful planning.

例句

On a whim, Rodrigo booked a flight to Tokyo after seeing photos of the cherry blossoms.

on a whim (adverbial phrase for acting impulsively)

The team's entire schedule changed at their manager's whim, leaving everyone frustrated.

at the whim of [someone] (phrase for unpredictable authority)

同義詞
  • impulse

    Stronger and more urgent; an impulse usually leads to immediate action, while a whim can remain a passing thought.

  • fancy

    Lighter and more playful; a fancy is based on liking something, whereas a whim is more unpredictable and less rational.

  • caprice

    More formal and literary; caprice emphasises sudden, unmotivated changes of mind, often in contexts of power or authority.

  • notion

    Broader — a notion can be a well-considered idea, while a whim is always sudden and impulsive.

反義詞
  • plan

    A plan is carefully thought through; a whim arises without forethought.

  • intention

    An intention implies deliberate purpose; a whim lacks commitment and reason.

文法句型

on a whim (acts as an adverbial phrase)

at the whim of [someone/something]

[adjective] + whim (sudden / mere / passing)

用法筆記

Common in the fixed phrases 'on a whim' (meaning impulsively or without planning) and 'at the whim of [someone/something]' (meaning subject to unpredictable decisions). The noun is frequently modified by 'sudden', 'passing', or 'mere' to indicate how serious or lasting the impulse is.

常見錯誤

❌I bought the coat by whim.
✅I bought the coat on a whim.
💡The correct preposition is 'on', not 'by'.
❌He had a whim.
✅He had a sudden whim to learn French.
💡'Whim' alone sounds incomplete; it usually needs a modifier or a following infinitive to feel natural.