1
as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
only a ninny would try to cross a swollen, raging river
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2
as in idiot
a stupid person
was such a ninny that he kept forgetting my name, even though I was wearing a name tag
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Recent Examples of ninny
Jane Austen wrote takedowns of this kind of ninny two centuries ago — how fun to see Pike update her twit to the post-Y2K era.
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Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024
Kopas, who wisely eschews hamming, makes Frank a spry, eloquent presence, although more dourness in the play’s initial scenes might help his character stand out from the salon’s cheerful ninnies.
—Celia Wren, Washington Post, 4 May 2023
Because some ninny has not read the user manual.
—Sarah Barker, Outside Online, 19 Mar. 2021
Sure enough, the team at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, an organization that provides food to more than 700 pantries throughout the Chicago area, contacted me and said a conservative donor who thinks me quite the ninny had donated $10,000.
—Rex Huppke, chicagotribune.com, 16 Dec. 2021
This Macbeth is something of a ninny, a lightweight who lounges on a throne that seems far too big for him.
—Kyle Smith, National Review, 2 Nov. 2019
When this became public knowledge, Stephen Spender, Lasky’s deputy and more a ninny than a poet, resigned.
—David Pryce-Jones, National Review, 22 Aug. 2019
But the story goes that mall proponents had to overcome three tremendous obstacles: the Great Depression, World War II, and the city’s anti-growth ninnies.
—oregonlive.com, 1 Aug. 2019
There are plenty of things that people want to do at theme parks and water parks, including scream like ninnies on thrill rides, be transported to fantastic realms on sophisticated attractions, and cool down on exhilarating water slides.
—Arthur Levine, USA TODAY, 13 June 2018
Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024
Kopas, who wisely eschews hamming, makes Frank a spry, eloquent presence, although more dourness in the play’s initial scenes might help his character stand out from the salon’s cheerful ninnies.
—Celia Wren, Washington Post, 4 May 2023
Because some ninny has not read the user manual.
—Sarah Barker, Outside Online, 19 Mar. 2021
Sure enough, the team at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, an organization that provides food to more than 700 pantries throughout the Chicago area, contacted me and said a conservative donor who thinks me quite the ninny had donated $10,000.
—Rex Huppke, chicagotribune.com, 16 Dec. 2021
This Macbeth is something of a ninny, a lightweight who lounges on a throne that seems far too big for him.
—Kyle Smith, National Review, 2 Nov. 2019
When this became public knowledge, Stephen Spender, Lasky’s deputy and more a ninny than a poet, resigned.
—David Pryce-Jones, National Review, 22 Aug. 2019
But the story goes that mall proponents had to overcome three tremendous obstacles: the Great Depression, World War II, and the city’s anti-growth ninnies.
—oregonlive.com, 1 Aug. 2019
There are plenty of things that people want to do at theme parks and water parks, including scream like ninnies on thrill rides, be transported to fantastic realms on sophisticated attractions, and cool down on exhilarating water slides.
—Arthur Levine, USA TODAY, 13 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ninny
Noun
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The world-famous aviator, through the America First Committee, professedly opposed U.S. involvement as a fool’s errand that would foster dictatorship at home.Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 29 Nov. 2024
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Gambling with safety in such ways is a fool’s bet that neither pilots nor the flying public are willing to make.Jason Ambrosi, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2024
Noun
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However, one taste of genuine chocolate was enough to convince the James Beard Award-winning writer that the soul of cacao still exists, and to send him on a wild goose chase that would take him from the rainforests of Bolivia and Brazil to Belize and Guatemala to track it down in the wild.Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2024
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There are also themes for Roz the robot, Brightbill the goose and Fink the fox.Jon Burlingame, Variety, 1 Dec. 2024
Noun
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An underrated gem — not enough people have seen this top-tier season — Squirrels Trip has some fabulous vocals, very funny lyrics, a heavy dose of stupid, and an engaging story.Barry Levitt, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
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The stupid!Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 July 2021
Thesaurus Entries Near ninny
Cite this Entry
“Ninny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ninny. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
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