FICKLE Synonyms: 124 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'fickle' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of fickle are capricious , inconstant , mercurial , and unstable . While all these words mean "lacking firmness or steadiness (as in purpose or devotion)," fickle suggests unreliability because of perverse changeability and incapacity for steadfastness. // performers discover how fickle fans can be

Q: In what contexts can 'capricious' take the place of 'fickle'?

In some situations, the words capricious and fickle are roughly equivalent. However, capricious suggests motivation by sudden whim or fancy and stresses unpredictability. // an utterly capricious critic

Q: When could 'inconstant' be used to replace 'fickle'?

The meanings of inconstant and fickle largely overlap; however, inconstant implies an incapacity for steadiness and an inherent tendency to change. // an inconstant friend

Q: When is 'mercurial' a more appropriate choice than 'fickle'?

While the synonyms mercurial and fickle are close in meaning, mercurial implies a rapid changeability in mood. // made anxious by her boss's mercurial temperament

Q: When might 'unstable' be a better fit than 'fickle'?

The synonyms unstable and fickle are sometimes interchangeable, but unstable implies an incapacity for remaining in a fixed position or steady course and applies especially to a lack of emotional balance. // too unstable to hold a job

fickle

adjective

ˈfi-kəl

Definition of fickle next

as in volatile

likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly a fickle friendship that was on and off over the years

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in traitorous

not true in one's allegiance to someone or something when the family's fortune disappeared, so did their fickle friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective fickle differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of fickle are capricious, inconstant, mercurial, and unstable. While all these words mean "lacking firmness or steadiness (as in purpose or devotion)," fickle suggests unreliability because of perverse changeability and incapacity for steadfastness.

performers discover how fickle fans can be

In what contexts can capricious take the place of fickle?

In some situations, the words capricious and fickle are roughly equivalent. However, capricious suggests motivation by sudden whim or fancy and stresses unpredictability.

an utterly capricious critic

When could inconstant be used to replace fickle?

The meanings of inconstant and fickle largely overlap; however, inconstant implies an incapacity for steadiness and an inherent tendency to change.

an inconstant friend

When is mercurial a more appropriate choice than fickle?

While the synonyms mercurial and fickle are close in meaning, mercurial implies a rapid changeability in mood.

made anxious by her boss's mercurial temperament

When might unstable be a better fit than fickle?

The synonyms unstable and fickle are sometimes interchangeable, but unstable implies an incapacity for remaining in a fixed position or steady course and applies especially to a lack of emotional balance.

too unstable to hold a job

Examples Sentences

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Recent Examples of fickle In his business, thin margins are made thinner by mechanical breakdowns, labor strikes, fickle growers, fickle airlines, human error and inclement weather. —

Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024 Sports can oftentimes be fickle toward both players and coaches. —

George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024 Even in a year when so much TV was mid, creatives still managed to push the boundaries of this fickle and confusing medium. —

Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2024 The best cruise lines for families may feature itineraries that can entertain multiple generations, onboard babysitters and kids’ clubs, accessibility options for grandparents, or entertainment for fickle teens. —

Kerry Spencer, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fickle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fickle

Adjective

Despite his volatile nature, Sanders has been linked to NFL teams after beginning his coaching career with Jackson State back in 2020.

Vincent Frank, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
Other volatile organic compounds are also known to contaminate tap water after fires.

Pien Huang, NPR, 11 Jan. 2025