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
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
-
The technology could actually pressure speakers to focus on practical, actionable content rather than bland, general advice.—
Roger Dooley,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
-
What used to signal timelessness and functionality has become shorthand for bland, forgettable and often disposable.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
And while the unemployment rate remains low, hiring has been weak, leaving those without jobs struggling to find new work.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
-
Total textile and apparel exports declined from $44.4 billion in fiscal year 2022 to $35.8 billion in fiscal year 2024 (ending March 31), due to weak global demand and elevated production costs.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
With rising apprehension, the Cabinet kept deliberating for a couple of days while Sumner did his best to shut down jingoistic rhetoric in the Senate from politicians who demanded that Lincoln not be a coward in the face of Great Britain.—
Zaakir Tameez
June 11,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2025
-
Because these cowards fear being doxed for their inhumane and unconscionable actions.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2025
Adjective
-
This is worlds away from that boring deli chicken sandwich, while still being easy enough to whip up on the busiest of days.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
28 June 2025
-
The contract’s scope of work includes the single bore tunnel, station entrances and exits, the excavation of underground stations and the procurement of a tunnel boring machine.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Scroll to shop the best bond-building products for every texture—stronger and softer hair ahead!—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
26 June 2025
-
That includes things like mapping the profiles of people who could make future leaders, prioritizing growth opportunities for them, and focusing on cultivating softer people skills among this group, along with technical expertise.—
Brit Morse,
Fortune,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
Your wimp of a husband should be there during this conversation.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
16 June 2025
-
Share The patriarch of the Berenstain Bears’ family is not a wimp.—
Gregory M. Collins,
National Review,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
Brazil were insipid at last summer’s Copa America and have gone downhill since.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
-
Little Dog asks, an insipid comparison that illuminates only the fungibility of abstract nouns.—
Andrea Long Chu,
Vulture,
6 May 2025
Noun
-
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
-
The fact these losers want to jail Andrew and Tristan Tate for preaching their version of traditional masculinity highlights the fact that these fascist feminists are fragile weaklings incapable of defending their position in the free marketplace of ideas.—
David Catanese,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Namby-pamby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/namby-pamby. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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