What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Whim vs Sudden - What's the difference?

whim | sudden |

As an adjective sudden is

happening quickly and with little or no warning.

As an adverb sudden is

(poetic) suddenly.

As a noun sudden is

(obsolete) an unexpected occurrence; a surprise.

whim

English

(wikipedia whim)

Etymology 1

Apocopal derivation of "whim-wham."

Noun

(en noun)
  • A fanciful impulse, or whimsical idea
  • * Churchill
  • Let every man enjoy his whim .
  • (mining) A large capstan or vertical drum turned by horse power or steam power, for raising ore or water, etc., from mines, or for other purposes
  • Synonyms
    * (fancy) lark, especially in phrase on a whim
    Derived terms
    * on a whim * whim gin * whim shaft * whimsical

    Etymology 2

    Compare whimbrel.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A bird, the European widgeon.
  • sudden

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Happening quickly and with little or no warning.
  • *, chapter=1
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage=I stumbled along through the young pines and huckleberry bushes. Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path that, I cal'lated, might lead to the road I was hunting for. It twisted and turned, and, the first thing I knew, made a sudden bend around a bunch of bayberry scrub and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn.}}
  • (obsolete) Hastily prepared or employed; quick; rapid.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Never was such a sudden scholar made.
  • * Milton
  • the apples of Asphaltis, appearing goodly to the sudden eye
  • (obsolete) Hasty; violent; rash; precipitate.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I have no joy of this contract to-night: It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden

    Antonyms

    * gradual * unsudden

    Derived terms

    * all of a sudden * sudden death * suddenly * suddenness * suddenwoven

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (poetic) Suddenly.
  • * Milton
  • Herbs of every leaf that sudden flowered.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) An unexpected occurrence; a surprise.
  • Derived terms

    * all of a sudden * all of the sudden * of a sudden

    Statistics

    *