capricious
gb/kəpɹˈɪʃəs/ us/kəpɹˈɪʃəs/
C1
English
~ 9400
szeszélyes, kiszámíthatatlan, önkényes
C1
FORMAL
1
szeszélyes
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is capricious
Her capricious moods made it hard for her team to know how to approach her each morning.
Szeszélyes hangulatai miatt a csapata minden reggel nehezen tudta, hogyan közelítsen hozzá.
He has a capricious streak and may change his mind about the project without warning.
Eléggé szeszélyes, és figyelmeztetés nélkül is meggondolhatja magát a projekttel kapcsolatban.
Tired of his capricious behavior, his friends stopped inviting him to important events.
The director is brilliant but notoriously capricious, firing staff on a whim.
She worried that a capricious judge might hand down a harsh sentence for no clear reason.
Learner examples
My boss is very capricious and gets angry for no clear reason.
A főnököm nagyon szeszélyes, és minden világos ok nélkül dühbe gurul.
His capricious moods make his children feel nervous.
Szeszélyes hangulatai idegessé teszik a gyerekeit.
She is so capricious that she changes her weekend plans every hour.
People do not trust him because he is capricious and often changes his decisions.
The coach is capricious, so players never know when they will be in trouble.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "capricious" means playful or creative, but it usually has a negative feeling and describes someone who changes moods or decisions in an unreasonable way. It is also more formal than words like "moody" or "changeable."
Meaning
unpredictable and changeable in mood
Collocations
a capricious person
|capricious behavior
|capricious mood swings
|capricious tastes
|capricious decisions
|capricious nature
Synonyms
fickle (Often used for people who change their feelings or loyalties, especially in love or preferences; slightly more informal than "capricious.")
|
unpredictable (Neutral and very common; does not always carry the negative, irrational feeling that "capricious" often has.)
|
whimsical (Suggests playful or imaginative changes; often sounds more positive and light than "capricious.")
Antonyms
consistent (Describes someone whose behavior stays the same over time and can be relied on, the opposite of sudden, irrational changes.)
|
reliable (Stresses that a person can be depended on and does not change decisions without reason.)
Themes
personality
|emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Often changing how you feel or act in a sudden way, so people cannot easily know what you will do.
Having a tendency to change mood, behavior, or decisions suddenly and for no good reason, so that others find you unreliable or hard to predict.
C1
FORMAL
2
szeszélyes
B2
Usage pattern:
capricious [thing or force]
The region is known for its capricious weather, with sunshine turning to storms in minutes.
A térség szeszélyes időjárásáról ismert: percek alatt napsütésből vihar lehet.
Investors pulled back, worried about the country's capricious economic policies.
A befektetők visszafogták magukat, mert aggódtak az ország kiszámíthatatlan gazdaságpolitikája miatt.
Sailors feared the capricious winds that could shift direction without warning.
Farmers struggle to plan their crops under such capricious climate conditions.
The stock market has become increasingly capricious, reacting sharply to even small pieces of news.
Learner examples
The weather in this city is capricious, so I always carry an umbrella.
Ebben a városban szeszélyes az időjárás, ezért mindig hordok magamnál esernyőt.
Because the market is capricious, many people are afraid to invest.
Mivel a piac kiszámíthatatlan, sokan félnek befektetni.
The river is capricious and can rise very fast after rain.
They lost money because of the capricious price of oil.
Pilots must be careful when flying in capricious winds.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use more basic words like "crazy" or "weird" for weather or markets. "Capricious" is more formal and focuses on sudden, irregular change rather than strangeness.
Meaning
changing suddenly and unpredictably
Collocations
capricious weather
|capricious winds
|capricious climate
|capricious markets
|capricious economy
|capricious world
Synonyms
erratic (Stresses irregular and sometimes wild changes, especially in movement or behavior; slightly more technical-sounding than "capricious.")
|
volatile (Often used for markets, situations, or people that can change or become dangerous very quickly.)
Antonyms
stable (Describes conditions that do not change much or change in a controlled, predictable way.)
|
steady (Emphasizes smooth, continuous behavior or conditions without sharp changes.)
Themes
nature
|economy
|risk
|science
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Changing suddenly and in a way that is hard to predict, especially about weather, markets, or similar things.
Describing natural forces, systems, or conditions that change suddenly in an irregular way and are difficult to predict or control.
C2
FORMAL
3
önkényes
C1
Usage pattern:
a capricious [decision / rule / policy]
The workers protested what they saw as capricious changes to their schedules.
A dolgozók tiltakoztak az ellen, amit a beosztásuk önkényes módosításának tartottak.
Critics accused the government of a capricious use of power in closing certain media outlets.
A kritikusok azzal vádolták a kormányt, hogy egyes médiumok bezárásával önkényesen gyakorolja a hatalmát.
Students were frustrated by the professor's capricious grading policies.
Such capricious decision-making undermines trust in the legal system.
Employees feared the CEO's capricious firing and hiring choices.
Learner examples
The new rules feel capricious because no one can explain them.
Az új szabályok önkényesnek tűnnek, mert senki sem tudja megmagyarázni őket.
People were angry about the capricious decision to close the park.
Az emberek dühösek voltak a park bezárásáról hozott önkényes döntés miatt.
Her capricious punishment of the children did not seem fair.
They complained about the manager's capricious changes to the work plan.
Capricious laws make it hard for companies to plan for the future.
Common mistake:
Learners may use "random" where "capricious" or "arbitrary" is better in formal writing about rules or policies. "Random" often sounds informal or suggests chance, while "capricious" suggests personal whim and unfairness.
Meaning
based on whim, not reason
Collocations
capricious decision
|capricious rule
|capricious policy
|capricious punishment
|capricious use of power
|capricious rule-making
Synonyms
arbitrary (Very close in meaning; strongly emphasizes lack of reason or system and is common in legal and political contexts.)
|
unreasonable (Stresses that something does not follow logic or fairness; more general and more common in everyday speech than "capricious.")
Antonyms
fair (Emphasizes that decisions are just and not based on personal whims.)
|
rational (Focuses on decisions being based on clear thought or logic rather than sudden impulses.)
Themes
law
|politics
|work
|business
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Describes choices or rules that follow someone's sudden wish, not clear reason or fairness, so they seem unfair.
Describing decisions, actions, or rules that seem to be chosen for no good or consistent reason, and therefore appear unfair or arbitrary.
Grammar
Dictionary form
capricious
IPA
GB/kəpɹˈɪʃəs/
US/kəpɹˈɪʃəs/
Syllables & stress
ca - pri - cious (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (pri)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: capricious
Word family
Core family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.