as in whims
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action
the vagaries of a rather eccentric, elderly lady
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Recent Examples of vagaries
But this is not a story about two best friends who break up because of the vagaries of popularity, and Coleman’s Callie is not a villain who breaks Minnie’s delicate heart.
—
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
The vagaries of that schedule will require flexibility and depth and will likely force Dos Santos to rotate players in and out of the lineup.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
The person sitting next to me that day was my flat-mate, Alicia Stallings, who, by one the vagaries of history, is now the current professor of poetry at Oxford.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Anyone who has watched Survivor knows vagaries are the enemy of success, and ultimately the ringleader of Glam, Ciara, still goes down this week.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
That’s your choice to prioritize more dependable success over bragging rights for coaxing a half dead super-choice plant through the vagaries of a yo-yo bit of winter.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Jan. 2026
Clark pulls these plot tendrils into a cohesive story that delves deep into police investigations and the vagaries of Chicago.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
And all these considerations are preceded by the unpredictable, impossible-to-model vagaries of smoke itself.
—Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
The vagaries of the administration’s plans stood out in contrast with the precision of Maduro’s capture.
—Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
The vagaries of that schedule will require flexibility and depth and will likely force Dos Santos to rotate players in and out of the lineup.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
The person sitting next to me that day was my flat-mate, Alicia Stallings, who, by one the vagaries of history, is now the current professor of poetry at Oxford.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Anyone who has watched Survivor knows vagaries are the enemy of success, and ultimately the ringleader of Glam, Ciara, still goes down this week.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
That’s your choice to prioritize more dependable success over bragging rights for coaxing a half dead super-choice plant through the vagaries of a yo-yo bit of winter.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Jan. 2026
Clark pulls these plot tendrils into a cohesive story that delves deep into police investigations and the vagaries of Chicago.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
And all these considerations are preceded by the unpredictable, impossible-to-model vagaries of smoke itself.
—Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
The vagaries of the administration’s plans stood out in contrast with the precision of Maduro’s capture.
—Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vagaries
whims
Noun
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With eight expiring contracts on their books, they were bound to see this volume of turnover — either under their control at the deadline or at the whims of players over the summer.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The island nation, vulnerable to the whims of the Atlantic, has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Danish firm Wavepiston to turn those crashing swells into a 50 MW power source.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vagaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vagaries. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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