1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

nebbish

noun

Definition of nebbishnext
as in coward

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nebbish At the film’s Cipriani afterparty, the New York Times’ Kyle Buchanan compared the Babygirl effect to what Challengers did for Josh O’Connor, who’d previously played nice guys and nebbishes. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2024 Is the algorithm going to make the out-of-shape nebbish standup an endangered species? — Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 15 Nov. 2023 Playing a harried but devoted father is a new look for the actor who is frequently typecast as an unlikeable nebbish. — Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 17 Nov. 2022 Sievert plays Seymour, the lovestruck florist-shop nebbish who unexpectedly becomes the caretaker of a carnivorous and increasingly hungry hunk of vegetation. — Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 15 Nov. 2021 For better or worse Eddie remains an antic nebbish, while Venom huffs and puffs with unquenchable indignation at the sorry state of the human world. — Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, 30 Sep. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nebbish
  1. coward
  2. milquetoast
  3. wuss
  4. mouse
Noun
  • But Coyote has hitched his hopes for the mammoth case upon a man who could only be called a coward.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The pundits feasted on her neutrality, most venomously Megyn Kelly, who called her a coward.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of coward
Noun
  • And Benjamin Cole is a likable milquetoast as Sarah’s original boyfriend, Chris.
    — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
  • By all accounts, being a milquetoast is a sort of vice—cowardice masquerading as prudence.
    — Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Definition of milquetoast
Noun
  • Supporters of the Republican candidate, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, portray Democrats as wusses, cucks, soy boys who don’t follow sports.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
  • Henry is a megalomaniac and a complete wuss.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
Definition of wuss
Noun
  • In a study published Wednesday in Nature, the Stanford team reported finding types of human cells inside the brains of 3-month-old chimeric mouse pups that are very hard to obtain in a dish.
    — Megan Molteni, STAT, 16 Sep. 2026
  • For a mouse, investing in rapid growth and reproduction is more advantageous.
    — Venki Ramakrishnan, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of mouse

Browse Nearby Words

neb
nebbish
nebbishes
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Nebbish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nebbish. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of churlish

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All