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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
-
Without their voice in sales, clients can feel disconnected from the brand’s deeper purpose, messaging risks becoming bland or robotic and trust can erode if communication lacks emotion or nuance.—
Doaa K. Darwish,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
For anyone who feels healthful food is bland or boring, Santavicca encourages them to come and try their food.—
Pamela Brown,
Hartford Courant,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
And if tariffs only cause a one-time jump in prices, weaker purchasing power could slow the economy.—
Raul Elizalde,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Other Ukrainian sources in the area paint a more dire picture, in which months of persistent Russian pressure has culminated in a weak spot to exploit.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Come back and fight like Texans rather than running and hiding like cowards.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Today’s Republican Party is a bunch of weak, spineless cowards who cower in obedient terror at Trump’s feet.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
Stick with boring investments to avoid big mistakes from get-rich-quick schemes.—
Jonathan I. Shenkman,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Hosting every summit in a big European city would alleviate much of the pressure to re-invent the wheel every time with respect to hotels, transit, and other boring but essential logistical details.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The latter gets rid of flaky skin, while the balm keeps them soft.—
Shivani Vora,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Another classic silhouette, Arhaus’s blend of jute and cotton makes this rug feel slightly softer underfoot.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
Only to then endure opprobrium being unfairly dumped on her from wimps who should’ve known — and who should’ve behaved — better toward her when the Disney dud was released.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
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
Noun
-
The sign Scorpio isn’t known to be a weakling, nor is Tyrannosaurus.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
2 July 2025
-
Based on this challenge, the groups would have been weaklings Cedrek, Star, Chrissy, Sai, Kamilla, and Mary in one group and Eva, Joe, Mitch, Kyle, David, and Shauhin in the strongman group.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Namby-pamby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/namby-pamby. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
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