1
as in bland
lacking in qualities that make for spirit and character
she's such a namby-pamby nothing that it's no wonder she's never asked out
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weak
lacking strength of will or character
mocked namby-pamby intellectuals who endlessly debate the pros and cons of everything and invariably end up accomplishing nothing
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as in coward
a person without strength of character
those namby-pambies at city hall are never going to get serious about our crime problem
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Recent Examples of namby-pamby
John B. Judis, The New Republic, 19 Mar. 2023
Adjective
Walzer’s dissent was namby-pamby.
—John B. Judis, The New Republic, 19 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for namby-pamby
Adjective
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These are easy ways to spruce up otherwise bland statements.Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2025
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Signs Your Salt Might Be Going Bad Salt is the invisible hero of the kitchen, often making the difference between a winning dish and a bland one.Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Its woman-on-the-run story is weak at times, not quite engaging enough to get through the constant death and destruction.Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2025
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China’s persistently low consumer inflation indicates that China is struggling with weak domestic demand, stoking fears of deflation.Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But then Gi-hun could die looking down on him as both a dog and a coward.Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 26 Dec. 2024
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The Vikings are cowards who didn't take a viking ship.Nick Suss, The Tennessean, 4 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Covering the entertainment business is never boring, and 2025 is already shaping up to be another banger as business models that have been around for decades continue to evolve, erode and unravel.Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
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News to Know Disney buys Fubo On its face, the move might sound like a boring press release.Chris Branch, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Buck stands under the soft glow of Tiffany-style fixtures, his guitar slung casually over his shoulders and his brown cowboy hat casting a shadow over his black denim jacket.Maxwell Williams, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
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In a red carpet arena where stars are often wearing the most outré and head-turning designs that designers have to offer, perhaps Loro seens a niche in the market for softer and more subdued offerings.Christian Allaire, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But the character, in Groening’s view, turned out to be a wimp.Darryn King, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2024
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The hard labor of making Wabanaki baskets Wabanaki basket-making isn’t for wimps.Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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At the far extreme, there is the insipid libertarianism of Ron Paul, the former Texas representative, who has claimed that Marine detachments guarding U.S. embassies count as examples of military overstretch.Bret Stephens, Foreign Affairs, 5 Feb. 2013
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The blandly positive lyrics seemed even more insipid amid all the bedroom jams.Eric Webb, Austin American-Statesman, 1 June 2024
Noun
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What cinches this daring perspective is actor Andrew Scott’s phenomenal characterization as a weakling who grapples with gradual self-awareness.Armond White, National Review, 29 Dec. 2023
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But in a call with Mr. Licht after the meeting, Mr. Zaslav belittled Mr. Zucker as a weakling who had tears in his eyes, several people with knowledge of the conversation said.Benjamin Mullin, New York Times, 15 Nov. 2023
Thesaurus Entries Near namby-pamby
Cite this Entry
“Namby-pamby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/namby-pamby. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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