wishy-washy
adjective
ˈwi-shē-ˌwȯ-shē 
-ˌwä-
1
: lacking in character or determination : ineffectual
wishy-washy leadership
2
: lacking in strength or flavor : weak
wishy-washy wines
wishy-washiness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of wishy-washy in a Sentence
this story is too wishy-washy; you need to add some verve to it
in a time of crisis the nation can ill afford wishy-washy leaders
Recent Examples on the Web
Here's one thing Jason Kelce isn't wishy-washy about.
—
Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 12 June 2024
The script’s other failing is its wishy-washy wrap-up of the Bambina business.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 May 2024
There’s no room for wishy-washy behavior as Venus and Saturn come together in your 8th House of Intimacy.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 21 Mar. 2024
In the Top 40 charts, a lot of mainstream music feels a bit wishy-washy.
—Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 14 May 2024
And if that sounds like Johnson was being wishy-washy, well, just wait.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 9 Apr. 2024
The movie is choppy, uninvolving and thematically wishy-washy, giving you very little reason to care about its numbingly verbose characters even when their lives are under threat.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Sep. 2023
Standard twin-tube dampers do a commendable job in corners, allowing just a bit of lean without feeling wishy-washy.
—Andrew Krok, Car and Driver, 6 Sep. 2023
Lack of consistency: Nothing is worse than a non-consistent, wishy-washy person who can’t keep commitments or their word.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 8 Aug. 2023
Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 12 June 2024
The script’s other failing is its wishy-washy wrap-up of the Bambina business.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 May 2024
There’s no room for wishy-washy behavior as Venus and Saturn come together in your 8th House of Intimacy.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 21 Mar. 2024
In the Top 40 charts, a lot of mainstream music feels a bit wishy-washy.
—Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 14 May 2024
And if that sounds like Johnson was being wishy-washy, well, just wait.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 9 Apr. 2024
The movie is choppy, uninvolving and thematically wishy-washy, giving you very little reason to care about its numbingly verbose characters even when their lives are under threat.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Sep. 2023
Standard twin-tube dampers do a commendable job in corners, allowing just a bit of lean without feeling wishy-washy.
—Andrew Krok, Car and Driver, 6 Sep. 2023
Lack of consistency: Nothing is worse than a non-consistent, wishy-washy person who can’t keep commitments or their word.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 8 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wishy-washy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wishy-washy
Cite this Entry
“Wishy-washy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wishy-washy. Accessed 30 Jun. 2024.
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