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like a weather vane in a storm

like a weather vane in a storm

9.0
Changing often in ways you cannot predict
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : como una veleta en una tormenta
  • Public opinion these days seems like a weather vane in a storm, swaying wildly with each new headline.

Examples

  • When it comes to making decisions, he is like a weather vane in a storm—never sticking to one choice for long.

  • His opinions change like a weather vane in a storm.

  • Her loyalty to different trends is like a weather vane in a storm, shifting every week.

  • She reacts like a weather vane in a storm to criticism.

  • Her loyalty to different trends is like a weather vane in a storm, shifting every week.

  • Public opinion these days seems like a weather vane in a storm, swaying wildly with each new headline.

  • When it comes to making decisions, he is like a weather vane in a storm—never sticking to one choice for long.

Synonyms

volatile
vslike a weather vane in a storm
77 7.0

Likely to change suddenly and become more dangerous

changes unpredictably without necessarily being sudden or dangerous
shifty
vslike a weather vane in a storm
1 6.7

Something that moves and changes direction suddenly and often

changes often unpredictably but not only about physical position
fluctuating
vslike a weather vane in a storm
6.1

Changing up and down often in a way you cannot guess

changes unpredictably or frequently rather than only rising and falling

Antonyms

129 2.1

In a regular way without stopping

31 3.4

In a way people expect

How Stable

stable
473 2.3
variable
67 3.6
changeable
8 3.5
erratic
94 6.1
like a weather vane in a storm
  • Informal
9.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

like + a + weather + vane + in + a + storm

This is a direct simile: the image of a 'weather vane' turning in a 'storm' maps transparently onto a person who changes direction unpredictably. The meaning is compositionally built from the constituents and follows a common, cross-linguistic metaphorical pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the component words should be able to infer the intended sense.

Etymology

Like a weather vane in a storm comes from a simple image: a weather vane turns and points different ways when a storm blows hard. So calling someone that means they are 'changing unpredictably or frequently'.