Word
capricious
Phoneticscapri·cious
US/kəˈpɹɪʃəs/
UK/kæpɹˈɪʃəs/
Definition
adj. changing your mind or your behavior very quickly and without a clear reason. You use this to describe someone who is unpredictable or someone who makes decisions based on their mood.
adj. governed by impulse rather than by reason or calculation; subject to sudden and unaccountable changes of mind or mood. Often used to describe legal or administrative decisions that lack a consistent basis.
Examples
“The weather in this valley is very capricious.”
“The manager's capricious nature made it difficult for the team to plan their projects in advance.”
“The court ruled that the board's decision to terminate the contract was capricious, as there was no evidence of a consistent policy or a legitimate business reason for the change.”
Examples
simple
“The weather in this valley is very capricious.”
contextual
“The manager's capricious nature made it difficult for the team to plan their projects in advance.”
complex
“The court ruled that the board's decision to terminate the contract was capricious, as there was no evidence of a consistent policy or a legitimate business reason for the change.”
Real-World Examples
“Since Trump's first term, Seoul has seen his seemingly capricious approach to diplomacy as both a risk and an opportunity.” “In June, three ICC judges sued the Trump administration over the sanctions, calling them an “arbitrary and capricious” means of curtailing the court’s judicial independence.” Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French capricieux, from Italian capriccioso, from capriccio. By surface analysis, caprice + -ious.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/capricious