1
as in bland
lacking in qualities that make for spirit and character
she's such a namby-pamby nothing that it's no wonder she's never asked out
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weak
lacking strength of will or character
mocked namby-pamby intellectuals who endlessly debate the pros and cons of everything and invariably end up accomplishing nothing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in coward
a person without strength of character
those namby-pambies at city hall are never going to get serious about our crime problem
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Recent Examples of namby-pamby
John B. Judis, The New Republic, 19 Mar. 2023
Adjective
Walzer’s dissent was namby-pamby.
—John B. Judis, The New Republic, 19 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for namby-pamby
Adjective
-
This sketch essentially spoofs his brand partnerships and bland style.—
Andy Hoglund,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The surroundings were bland, but the conversation with Cheney was spellbinding.—
Nina Khrushcheva,
Time,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Western countries could exploit weak points in supply chains for many of Russia's advanced fighter jets, including by tightening up sanctions as Ukraine strikes Russia's industrial facilities, according to a new report.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Respiratory difficulty, constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelids and a weak and altered cry are among the symptoms of infant botulism.—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Fear of the base, of Trump’s wrath or of primary challenges is now paramount for these cowards.—
Dan Perry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The crowd applauds for 13 seconds both at the intense, almost Chris Farley–esque yell itself and the absurdity of Maron’s desire to be a manly coward.—
John Roy,
Vulture,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite looking like a fighter pilot who could win a game of dogfight football, Colin isn’t framed as a temptation for Marissa, and a lack of sexy secrets proves to be a recurring blind spot for the series, even if those two have plenty of other skeletons in their massive, boring closets.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
6 Nov. 2025
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All this after Fern just wanted to renovate her boring bookseller life by starting over next to her orc pal Viv’s coffee shop!—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Another noteworthy development is Arts Landing, a four-acre city park in Downtown Pittsburgh featuring public art, greenery and performance space set to soft open in April 2026.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
-
For the white colorway, a contrasting gum sole with a soft suede toe highlights the sneaker, while the black version features a brown distressed tooling.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Wes Siler, our longtime outdoor lifestyle columnist, is a total wimp who obsessively pursues comfort in extreme environments.—
Wes Siler,
Outside,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The opposite of a wimp is a Superman, the comic book creation of writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Schuster.—
Richard Lederer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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On the road, the Murano sidesteps the insipid CVT vibe of the past.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
17 Aug. 2025
-
Callahan’s baritone is rich and full, but the rest of the instrumentation feels insipid.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
The illness can be dangerous or life-threatening, particularly to older adults, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant women.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
-
But babies, people with weakened immune systems, and those with chronic lung conditions are more likely to get seriously sick, developing illnesses like bronchiolitis or pneumonia.—
Evan Moore
November 5,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Namby-pamby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/namby-pamby. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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