Introduction / Context:
In reflective prose, “capricious” emphasizes changeability driven by sudden impulses or subjective shifts, rather than by regular patterns. The sentence contrasts the same period feeling long at one time and short at another, highlighting a mind-dependent variability in how time is perceived. We must choose the single BEST synonym that preserves this nuance in elevated literary style.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Target adjective: “capricious.”
- Context: subjective, fluctuating perception of time.
- Requirement: pick one best single-word synonym among near-neighbors.
Concept / Approach:
While “erratic” and “unpredictable” are close, the term that most precisely mirrors the whimsical, impulse-driven shift implied by “capricious” in literary usage is “whimsical.” It carries the connotation of fanciful or mood-driven variability, matching the subjective alternation described. “Misleading” changes the meaning to deception, and “random” implies patternless chance rather than mood-driven change.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Extract the core meaning: subjectively changeable by mood/impulse.2) Compare near-synonyms: erratic/unpredictable vs whimsical.3) Select “whimsical” to preserve literary tone and impulse-driven variability.4) Exclude semantic shifts such as deception (misleading) or pure chance (random).
Verification / Alternative check:
Substitute: “time is … whimsical as a measure of their duration” fits the reflective, stylistic register and underscores caprice in perception.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
erratic: Mechanical irregularity; less about mood/impulse.unpredictable: Neutral irregularity; lacks the caprice nuance.misleading: Focuses on deception, not variability.random: Chance-based variability, not mood-based.
Common Pitfalls:
Selecting any near-synonym of “irregular” without considering tone and implied cause. “Capricious” in literary essays often leans toward whims/moods—captured best by “whimsical.”
Final Answer:
whimsical
Discussion & Comments