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
Both his African heritage and his new exploration of the verisimilitudes and vagaries of New York City life paint the ongoing development of The Watchman, sometimes featured as the key figure as in the monumental portrait, AH!
—
Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
While Jane Austen is best known for skewering the vagaries of romantic love in her novels, there is another, equally complicated and meaningful type of relationship that runs through them, too — that of siblings.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Other PAs are responding to the vagaries of the modern entertainment industry by coming together to unionize.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Given the vagaries of pitching at altitude at Coors Field, signing an accomplished veteran pitcher via free agency is unlikely.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
Drahi and his team wouldn’t be the first, or the last, corporate titans to trip and stumble in the vagaries of the art market.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
The annual sales events also shine the light on emerging trends while reflecting any economic vagaries.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2025
This approach promises major gains in energy efficiency by embracing, rather than resisting, the vagaries of the second law of thermodynamics.
—Anil Seth, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Where fans once relied on the vagaries of radio play and magazine spreads to engage with their favorite artists, today’s fans form tightknit communities on social media platforms like TikTok and Discord.
—Lindsay A. Fleming, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
While Jane Austen is best known for skewering the vagaries of romantic love in her novels, there is another, equally complicated and meaningful type of relationship that runs through them, too — that of siblings.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Other PAs are responding to the vagaries of the modern entertainment industry by coming together to unionize.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Given the vagaries of pitching at altitude at Coors Field, signing an accomplished veteran pitcher via free agency is unlikely.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
Drahi and his team wouldn’t be the first, or the last, corporate titans to trip and stumble in the vagaries of the art market.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
The annual sales events also shine the light on emerging trends while reflecting any economic vagaries.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2025
This approach promises major gains in energy efficiency by embracing, rather than resisting, the vagaries of the second law of thermodynamics.
—Anil Seth, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Where fans once relied on the vagaries of radio play and magazine spreads to engage with their favorite artists, today’s fans form tightknit communities on social media platforms like TikTok and Discord.
—Lindsay A. Fleming, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vagaries
whims
Noun
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At best, the rulers who met in Doha on Monday act as supplicants, relying on the whims of a unpredictable US president to intercede with Israel’s leader.—
Ben Wedeman,
CNN Money,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Their whims work for or against us with no logic involved.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vagaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vagaries. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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