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
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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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Recent Examples of wishy-washy
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
Harris, who has quickly become the presumptive Democratic nominee, has not spoken about a debate yet, while Trump has seemed wishy-washy since Biden ended his reelection bid.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 24 July 2024
There is a resounding belief among House Democrats — that was echoed in multiple wishy-washy statements this week — that Biden must make a decision on his campaign’s future on his own without much public pressure.
—Theodoric Meyer, Washington Post, 12 July 2024
And once the largest Democratic donors started to back away, top leaders in Congress went from firmly with Biden to wishy-washy.
—Candy Woodall, Baltimore Sun, 12 July 2024
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
Harris, who has quickly become the presumptive Democratic nominee, has not spoken about a debate yet, while Trump has seemed wishy-washy since Biden ended his reelection bid.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 24 July 2024
There is a resounding belief among House Democrats — that was echoed in multiple wishy-washy statements this week — that Biden must make a decision on his campaign’s future on his own without much public pressure.
—Theodoric Meyer, Washington Post, 12 July 2024
And once the largest Democratic donors started to back away, top leaders in Congress went from firmly with Biden to wishy-washy.
—Candy Woodall, Baltimore Sun, 12 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wishy-washy
Adjective
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The answer is quite simple but hardly not satisfying: His players are bland.Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 11 Dec. 2024
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My only real complaint is that, apart from the weapons, the mecha looked like they were designed by a committee and were a bit bland.Ollie Barder, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Scene-to-scene continuity is typically weak and telling.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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Capasa noted that a negative third quarter impacted by weak internal demand, the slowdown of purchases from Chinese customers and overall geopolitical instability kept worsening the cautious scenario already registered in the first half of the year.Sandra Salibian, WWD, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But to play to that dichotomy is a tightrope walk: lean too far one way and Indy becomes boring, either as too normal or a superhero.Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 10 Dec. 2024
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Eggnog Eggnog is a hard sell because most people have only had the bad kind, those boring and occasionally gross cartons that line the dairy section of the supermarket every December.Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 9 Dec. 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
Adjective
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It’s packed with nourishing ingredients and leaves lips soft and hydrated overnight.Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 10 Dec. 2024
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Ripe pomegranates become soft and less resistant to cracking, so look for less firm fruits.Merve Ceylan, Health, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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While congressional hearings are often dull set pieces, this one offered a remarkably lively and informative discussion of the practicalities and opportunities facing America regarding space resources.Greg Autry, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
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For her, the glory of the honeymoon had been in the planning, the dreaming, the building up in her mind; what a letdown to find that Paris was just a place, that some days were full of chill gray drizzle, that the dull, thick bodies of other tourists blocked her from full joy.Lauren Groff, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Popular Nail Polish Colors For Every Month 01 of 08 Short Nails Long nails have undeniably been the most popular nail length for the past five years—or perhaps more—however people seem to be tiring of the upkeep of long nails, no matter if natural or faux.Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 8 Dec. 2024
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Parenting can be tiring but any mom or dad will tell you there are moments of magic sprinkled through every bit of the day-to-day grind.Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But the most sinister aspect of the movie, to me, is how banal its serial rapists are—how corny and ineffectual, these cringeworthy failsons.Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2024
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Both projects share a similar eye for the grotesquerie of the banal, with a generally condescending perspective toward rural desperation.Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 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 22 Dec. 2024.
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