How to Use on a whim in a Sentence
on a whim
idiom-
The bag can shift from a backpack to a tote should your needs happen to change on a whim.
—Hannah Selinger, wsj.com, 1 Oct. 2023
-
Biden has come in before on a whim, unannounced, ABC News was told.
—Maryalice Parks, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2023
-
Again, to be clear, there’s no basis in this notion that Texas could ditch its ties to the United States on a whim.
—TIME, 1 Feb. 2024
-
Brooks Keebey, of Salem, bought $10 worth of Powerball tickets on a whim.
—oregonlive, 16 Nov. 2022
-
The two decide to throw caution to the wind and get married on a whim, leading to a whirlwind of emotions.
—Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
-
Most people aren’t going to go out and drop a sizable chunk of change on a thermal scope on a whim.
—Amanda Oliver, Field & Stream, 21 Mar. 2024
-
As for the name Jasper, Brad admitted that it was decided more on a whim.
—Emily J. Shiffer, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2023
-
Many have bought headphones or music downloads, gas to drive places on a whim or, like Lee, fast food.
—Patrick O'Donnell, The Indianapolis Star, 9 May 2023
-
During their interview, on a whim, Prince asks Als to write a book with him; Als demurs.
—Sophia Stewart, The Atlantic, 25 Sep. 2022
-
After high school, Isaac auditioned for Juilliard on a whim and got in.
—Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Oct. 2022
-
This way, people who are simply walking by can decide to take part on a whim.
—Nicole Kagan, BostonGlobe.com, 27 June 2023
-
The tenant signed the contract, only to leave the property a few months later out of fear that the agency could evict him again on a whim.
—Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2024
-
The two decided to drive out from Thousands Oaks on a whim earlier that day.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2023
-
The two decided to drive out from Thousands Oaks on a whim earlier that day.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2023
-
And many of them were nice enough to, on a whim, crash a high school prom becoming the main players in a legendary night at Eastern Greene High.
—Indystar Sports, The Indianapolis Star, 8 June 2023
-
Matthew, enviably at home in his skin, works in private equity and can fly to Paris on a whim.
—Heller McAlpin, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Apr. 2024
-
Abortions that late in pregnancy are not allowed on a whim.
—Politifact Staff Writer, Dallas News, 11 May 2023
-
Kagi The prospect of paying for a search engine might seem odd if you’re used to unlimited Googling on a whim.
—Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 26 Nov. 2023
-
Wanting to pick up a sport, Maiya started playing basketball two years ago on a whim.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2024
-
Almost on a whim, Paul accepts, and small transgressions soon give way to larger ones.
—The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024
-
So on a whim, Tempesta buys, sight unseen, a house in her mother’s native Sainte-Colombe, France.
—Sandra Dallas, The Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2024
-
Studio executives don’t drop by on a whim, to see how things are coming along.
—David Owen, The New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2022
-
Six storage receptacles and a queen-size bed were tucked away in the ceiling, ready to be summoned downward on a whim with the push of an iPhone button.
—Patricia Marx, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
-
Much of the crowd was timid but curious — like Laura Rojo-Eddy, who decided on a whim to fly out from Texas.
—Amy X. Wang, New York Times, 7 May 2024
-
No one signs a multi-million dollar Salesforce contract on a whim.
—Prince Ghuman, Forbes, 9 June 2022
-
But one thing’s for sure: this isn’t something that Cadence stumbled across by accident, or decided to do on a whim.
—Patrick Moorhead, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
-
Too many decisions are being made on a whim, as well as giving managers all of the power only to sack them 12 months later.
—Liam Canning, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
-
Agents point out that the ultra-rich often buy on a whim, paying top dollar, and might tire of their new acquisitions just as quickly.
—Hadley Meares, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 June 2022
-
There’s something deeply satisfying about being able to whip up a batch of homemade ice cream on a whim, and Cuisinart makes one of the best ice cream makers on the market.
—Noah Kaufman, Bon Appétit, 11 Oct. 2023
-
Many artists in Yucca Valley moved there on a whim after visiting for a weekend, much like Schwegler.
—Angella D’avignon, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024
Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'on a whim.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Last Updated: