1
as in bland
lacking in qualities that make for spirit and character
this story is too wishy-washy; you need to add some verve to it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weak
lacking strength of will or character
in a time of crisis the nation can ill afford wishy-washy leaders
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of wishy-washy
And this isn't some wishy-washy concept.
—
Will Stone, NPR, 31 Jan. 2026
There’s also the part where Suárez has been relatively healthy, which is a wishy-washy description for a reason.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Forget about generic prints of Big Ben or wishy-washy seascapes in ill-fitting frames; here, expansive pieces span entire walls, palm trees climb through furniture, towers of baked-bean cans stand sentry, and hammers are purposefully lodged in the living room wall.
—Lucy Bruton, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Dec. 2025
After a wishy-washy few days, Mel Owens is an engaged man.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 12 Nov. 2025
Don’t worry, I won’t be wishy-washy: August is not an important month for jobs data since the whole nation tends to be in flux.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 7 Sep. 2025
Much of the recent coverage cites wishy-washy export signals as having a major effect on Nvidia’s stock with the on-again, off-again nature of H20 sales to the Middle Kingdom shaking things up.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Would things be so wishy-washy if a Bravo employee who was not on camera behaved in the same way to a coworker?
—William Earl, Variety, 30 July 2025
And then he was wishy-washy, went back and forth, and she was deceived and disappointed by him.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 15 July 2025
Will Stone, NPR, 31 Jan. 2026
There’s also the part where Suárez has been relatively healthy, which is a wishy-washy description for a reason.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Forget about generic prints of Big Ben or wishy-washy seascapes in ill-fitting frames; here, expansive pieces span entire walls, palm trees climb through furniture, towers of baked-bean cans stand sentry, and hammers are purposefully lodged in the living room wall.
—Lucy Bruton, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Dec. 2025
After a wishy-washy few days, Mel Owens is an engaged man.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 12 Nov. 2025
Don’t worry, I won’t be wishy-washy: August is not an important month for jobs data since the whole nation tends to be in flux.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 7 Sep. 2025
Much of the recent coverage cites wishy-washy export signals as having a major effect on Nvidia’s stock with the on-again, off-again nature of H20 sales to the Middle Kingdom shaking things up.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Would things be so wishy-washy if a Bravo employee who was not on camera behaved in the same way to a coworker?
—William Earl, Variety, 30 July 2025
And then he was wishy-washy, went back and forth, and she was deceived and disappointed by him.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 15 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wishy-washy
Adjective
-
Life without a little spice can be bland, and the same goes for our food.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The film alternates between Aggressive Songs to Tell You What Emotion to Have and halting, bland narration from the first lady describing her feelings and initiatives.—
Alexandra Petri,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Defense lawyers contend these cases should never have been brought, with weak evidence that juries consistently reject, prompting legal experts to question the prosecution strategy.—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
But some indications suggest that the jobs report could come in weaker than expected.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Supporting your bone health doesn’t have to be complicated or boring.—
Lauren Manaker,
SELF,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Halftime shows for many years were also fairly boring affairs.—
David Hill,
Rolling Stone,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The consumption of raw milk and other unpasteurized dairy products can cause serious health risks and be especially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, according to the Food and Drug Administration.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The primary concern is costs, according to Bloomberg, along with weakened demand in China.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Even the most insipid formulaic pop nonsense can induce that almost mystical reflection of life if your connections to the time of its airplay are meaningful.—
Jody Mamone,
Hartford Courant,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Throughout the film, which is visually impressive, but insipid in the story, there are countless small touches that bring us back to the original.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The team aimed to recreate this kind of dynamic control in a soft, synthetic material using digital design rather than complex biological systems.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The village range will include a hybrid hoodie combining a soft fleece front with a ripstop nylon back, displaying a tricolor mountain motif, as well as a T-shirt designed as a nod to the Paris Games in 2024 and a recycled polyester sherpa.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But all work and no play can make for a dull chief medical officer.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
30 Jan. 2026
-
People living in Bridgeville were excited to see dull pavement.—
Chris Hoffman,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Sound routines, sound tennis mind Pegula says that travelling all over the globe as a part of the WTA’s tour season is exhilarating on a day-to-day basis, but can be tiring over the long haul.—
Andy Frye,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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But before continuing its schedule, the Heat has two days off to rest and recover from this tiring stretch on the road.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wishy-washy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wishy-washy. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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