variants or softie
as in wuss
a person lacking in physical strength a softy who usually needs someone else's strong hands to open bottles and jars

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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 softy Knox is a Great Pyrenees and Labrador mix who, despite weighing 77 pounds, is considered something of a softy. Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024 For all her professional bravado, among those closest to her, Silverman is known as a sentimental softy. Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2023 Turns out the big softy was just a player’s coach. Joseph Goodman, al, 10 July 2022 Hardened, tattooed Saira — whose relationship with her family frayed after the early death of her sister — is willing to mentor Amina when even the group’s resident softy, bassist Bisma (Faith Omole), is ready to give up on the talented newbie. Washington Post, 16 June 2021 See All Example Sentences for softy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softy
Noun
  • Of the two sisters in the yellow house, Paula is a much gentler girl, a wuss, a baby, the biggest chicken—that’s how her sister thinks of her—and Rhonda is the boss.
    Alex Mar, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2023
  • Teach, who carries a gun, is a wuss about the rain.
    New York Times, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2022
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
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

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Cite this Entry

“Softy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softy. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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