On a Whim.
English
idiom
Impulsively, without much thought.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
Impulsively, without much thought.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
Doing something spontaneously, without planning or a clear reason.
When you act on a whim, you follow a sudden impulse without thinking it through.
It is used to describe unplanned actions or decisions made in the moment without preparation or deliberate intent.
"On the Spur of the Moment"
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Doing something impulsively in direct response to the immediate situation you are in
"Off the Cuff"
—
Doing or saying something without preparation, especially speaking without notes
"On a Whim"
—
Acting on a sudden impulse without prior planning or deliberate reason
Why did you sign up for a pottery class — you've never mentioned it before.
On a whim, honestly — I just walked past the studio and thought why not.
How did you end up at that music festival?
On a whim — my friend called me at noon and we were driving there by two.
Do you think it's okay to make big decisions on a whim?
Sometimes — the best things in my life happened because I stopped overthinking.
