Meaning & use
whimsical
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Meanings
adjectivecomparableapproving
Playfully odd and imaginative, in a charming way.
Grammar: Describes things or people: a whimsical design.
Patterns
- a whimsical idea
The shop has whimsical window displays full of tiny toys.
She drew whimsical animals in the margins.
His whimsical sense of humor makes children laugh.
adjectivecomparable
Acting on sudden notions; unpredictable.
Grammar: A little negative: whimsical decisions.
Patterns
- whimsical decision
The king's whimsical decisions confused the court.
Her whimsical moods were hard to predict.
He made a whimsical purchase and bought a hat.
Word forms
| comparative | more whimsical |
|---|---|
| superlative | most whimsical |
Common combinations
- whimsical design
- The cafe has a whimsical design.
- whimsical sense of humor
- She has a whimsical sense of humor.
- whimsical tale
- It's a whimsical tale about a talking cat.
- whimsical touch
- The garden has a whimsical touch.
Synonyms and how they differ
- playful
- Playful is lighter and simpler.
- quirky
- Quirky means pleasantly odd.
- fanciful
- Fanciful stresses imagination, often unrealistic.
- capricious
- Capricious is critical: changing mood without reason.
Opposites
Word family
- whim noun
- a sudden wish or idea
- whimsy noun
- playful quality
- whimsically adverb
- in a playful odd way
Commonly confused: whimsical or whimpering?
whimsical vs whimpering
Whimpering is making soft crying sounds; whimsical means playfully odd.
Practice
The children loved the ____ illustrations of dancing teapots.
Choose one answer.
Whimsical means playful and imaginative, which fits dancing teapots. Austere and somber suggest seriousness.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “whimsical”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.