wuss

noun

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\ ˈwu̇s

variants: or less commonly wussy \ ˈwu̇-sē

plural wusses also wussies

Definition of wuss

informal

: a weak, cowardly, or ineffectual person : wimp Don't be such a wuss. acted like a total wuss I am not a wuss; I refuse to be undone by fear.— Joline Godfrey I'm a wuss when it comes to pain. I did not wish to lose body parts.— Chuck Gallagher You don't like turtlenecks? You say they're too tight? What are you, some wussy?— Frank Cammuso and Hart Seely … it can be galling to watch grown men pretend to be hurt. It's one thing to embellish a penalty, and another to act as though you are in pain when you are not. Maybe there are places where toughness is not a virtue and lying is not a vice, but, wherever you are, being a wuss is being a wuss.— Nick Paumgarten

Other Words from wuss Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about wuss

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Other Words from wuss

wussy adjective wussier; wussiest

Nation building was for wussy foreign-policy sociologists; the military's job was to "fight and win" wars. — Joe Klein It's pretty much hard rock, with a couple wussy songs. — Rob Sheffield

Synonyms & Antonyms for wuss

Synonyms

Antonyms

powerhouse

Examples of wuss in a Sentence

Don't be such a wuss. teased him for being a wuss when he failed the push-up test in gym class

Recent Examples on the Web My girlfriend, Rachel, who is not a food wuss like me, unhesitatingly and hopefully tried the stuff. — Washington Post, "Gene Weingarten: This hot sauce is a killer," 21 Jan. 2021 While thinking of ways to be less of a wuss about cutting squashes, I was reminded of the life story of Peter Gordon, one of the top chefs and food writers in New Zealand. — Bee Wilson, WSJ, "For Cooks, Fear Can Be a Secret Ingredient," 17 Oct. 2020 That simply wouldn’t have happened in 2018’s Republican Party, where Nixon probably would have been dismissed as a low-energy wuss. — Will Bunch, Philly.com, "Pa. Republicans are learning from Donald Trump. Be very afraid | Will Bunch," 4 Feb. 2018 Camp 1 includes those who lament the wuss-ification of the game. — Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "Doc: Ed Cunningham is right about football's dangers, and so are you," 31 Aug. 2017 For you wusses who think otherwise, the Flip-n-Drip should be live on the site soon for $45. — Charlie Sorrel, WIRED, "Camping Coffee Maker is One More Thing to Carry," 31 Aug. 2009

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wuss.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.