1
as in bland
lacking in qualities that make for spirit and character
this story is too wishy-washy; you need to add some verve to it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weak
lacking strength of will or character
in a time of crisis the nation can ill afford wishy-washy leaders
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of wishy-washy
Lewis Lupton Photo: Bravo/Vincent Cerone/Bravo Bosun Below Deck Adventure
Season 1
—
Usually bosuns are too overbearing, but this one was too wishy-washy.
—
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
Not wishy-washy George Clooney, not low-life Mark Ruffalo, not obnoxious Edward Norton, not freaky boho Johnny Depp, not wimpy Ryan Gosling or nondescript Glen Powell.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Dec. 2024
MasterClass Online Courses $10+ Buy Now on masterclass From cooking lessons with Gordon Ramsay to film 101 with David Lynch, MasterClass’ impressive roster of online classes taught by industry pros gives the wishy-washy giftee of yours plenty of unique options to utilize throughout the winter.
—Mia Maguire, StyleCaster, 11 Dec. 2024
People buy specific results, not wishy-washy words.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
This isn’t some abstract, wishy-washy exercise either.
—Lien De Pau, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
My hands move around everywhere, my rhythm is very fast and inarticulate and often a bit wishy-washy.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 July 2024
For Allman, at the time a member of the oversight board, the wishy-washy language spelled trouble, a suspicion confirmed for him when the Veterans Collective put out a news release on its selection as the principal developer that focused solely on housing with no mention of a town center.
—Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2024
And if Scharf thought his old boss would come through for him, he was sadly disappointed: Trump issued yet another wishy-washy endorsement in this race, giving both candidates his seal of approval.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2024
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
Not wishy-washy George Clooney, not low-life Mark Ruffalo, not obnoxious Edward Norton, not freaky boho Johnny Depp, not wimpy Ryan Gosling or nondescript Glen Powell.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Dec. 2024
MasterClass Online Courses $10+ Buy Now on masterclass From cooking lessons with Gordon Ramsay to film 101 with David Lynch, MasterClass’ impressive roster of online classes taught by industry pros gives the wishy-washy giftee of yours plenty of unique options to utilize throughout the winter.
—Mia Maguire, StyleCaster, 11 Dec. 2024
People buy specific results, not wishy-washy words.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
This isn’t some abstract, wishy-washy exercise either.
—Lien De Pau, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
My hands move around everywhere, my rhythm is very fast and inarticulate and often a bit wishy-washy.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 July 2024
For Allman, at the time a member of the oversight board, the wishy-washy language spelled trouble, a suspicion confirmed for him when the Veterans Collective put out a news release on its selection as the principal developer that focused solely on housing with no mention of a town center.
—Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2024
And if Scharf thought his old boss would come through for him, he was sadly disappointed: Trump issued yet another wishy-washy endorsement in this race, giving both candidates his seal of approval.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wishy-washy
Adjective
-
The team initially struggled, and so did Saleh’s defense, which in 2018 was criticized for being too bland and at times too discombobulated.—
Matt Barrows,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
-
Compelling subject matter only goes so far when presented in such a bland, familiar manner.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Its economy is already facing a deepening malaise, brought on by a property crisis, mounting government debt and weak consumer spending.—
David Pierson,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2025
-
The team continues to play great with a different weak spot each season, so maybe that’s part of the excitement and drama of being a fan of the franchise now. · 5h 1m ago Thanks Chandler, good stuff as always.—
Chandler Rome,
The Athletic,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The entire family is outraged, but Peter insists that the film is slow, boring and essentially, overrated.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
-
Recently, Jennifer Lopez has been a big fan of natural manicures, which are anything but boring.—
Lea Hüttinger,
Glamour,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
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
Adjective
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Downy refers to the soft, white feathers located on a white stripe down its back.—
Sheryl De Vore,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Jan. 2025
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What does a whole-of-society approach look like in leveraging U.S. soft power?—
Tara Sonenshine,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
On the thirteenth-century tomb of Eleanor of Aquitaine, she is shown wide awake and reading, while her dull and kingly husband sleeps for all eternity.—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
-
If your hair is dull and prone to breakage, this serum is packed with gluco-peptides and wheat protein to help restore elasticity and strengthening the cuticle.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
In addition to her tiring routine of delivering disappointment, Hadoula also has to contend with her own troubles in the form of a vision of her deceased mother (Maria Protoppapa).—
Ryan Swen,
Variety,
18 Jan. 2025
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Image Piloting a firefighting aircraft is sweaty, tiring work, Mr. Mattiacci said.—
Yan Zhuang,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Creators on TikTok describe their experience with comments on Reels as banal at best, and straight-up mean at worst.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN,
15 Jan. 2025
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Goodman’s animated narration is paired with evocative music and soundscapes that enliven descriptions of modest homesteads; with these flourishes, information as seemingly banal as the evolution of dishwashing becomes mesmerizing.—
Marnie Shure,
The Atlantic,
24 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near wishy-washy
Cite this Entry
“Wishy-washy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wishy-washy. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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