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
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Usually bosuns are too overbearing, but this one was too wishy-washy.
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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
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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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Of Vegas’ last eight games, six were at home and all eight were against some of the league’s weakest teams.Dom Luszczyszyn, The Athletic, 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
Adjective
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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
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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
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
Adjective
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As the discipline matures, soft skills such as communication and cross-functional teamwork will prove just as critical as technical acumen.Srikanta Datta, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
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However, the cozy and soft feel of the fabric is ideal for chillier temps.Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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For optimal baking, open the containers to check their aroma and if the smell is dull throw it away.Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Jan. 2025
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The action was so frenetic that the dull parts of Test matches, lulls that often exist when one team is in complete control, were basically eradicated.Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Adams may have thought Pierce owed him something for vouching for him, but Pierce was tiring of the pouting and target requests.Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
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Those two references, of course to the surprise endings of Citizen Kane and The Sixth Sense (sorry if that just ruined them for you), were meant as a jaded eye roll to a tiring complaint.Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Barry builds a believable sci-fi world—even with its pseudo-fantastical powers—out of the most familiar and banal building blocks, taking the stakes of linguistic misuse to apocalyptic heights.Tajja Isen, The Atlantic, 11 Dec. 2024
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Generally, the drama does spectacularly well with abiding by a primal sense of magical realism — the finding of wonderment in the banal and the insertion of banality into the wondrous.Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 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 21 Jan. 2025.
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