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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 wishy-washy
Though perhaps that ambiguity is also the result of some wishy-washy writing.
—
Shannon Keating, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2025
Worry less about appearing wishy-washy as Mercury goes retrograde.
—USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2025
Read: His daughter was America’s first measles death in a decade
Kennedy’s wishy-washy comments about the measles vaccine may persuade more parents not to vaccinate their children—which means that more children will get sick, and perhaps die.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2025
Nor did anyone blink when Shonda Rhimes set Scandal within the White House of a wishy-washy, adulterous GOP President who’d unwittingly stolen an election.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 20 Feb. 2025
Lewis Lupton Photo: Bravo/Vincent Cerone/Bravo Bosun Below Deck Adventure
Season 1
—
Usually bosuns are too overbearing, but this one was too wishy-washy.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
Not wishy-washy George Clooney, not low-life Mark Ruffalo, not obnoxious Edward Norton, not freaky boho Johnny Depp, not wimpy Ryan Gosling or nondescript Glen Powell.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Dec. 2024
MasterClass Online Courses $10+ Buy Now on masterclass From cooking lessons with Gordon Ramsay to film 101 with David Lynch, MasterClass’ impressive roster of online classes taught by industry pros gives the wishy-washy giftee of yours plenty of unique options to utilize throughout the winter.
—Mia Maguire, StyleCaster, 11 Dec. 2024
People buy specific results, not wishy-washy words.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Shannon Keating, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2025
Worry less about appearing wishy-washy as Mercury goes retrograde.
—USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2025
Read: His daughter was America’s first measles death in a decade
Kennedy’s wishy-washy comments about the measles vaccine may persuade more parents not to vaccinate their children—which means that more children will get sick, and perhaps die.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2025
Nor did anyone blink when Shonda Rhimes set Scandal within the White House of a wishy-washy, adulterous GOP President who’d unwittingly stolen an election.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 20 Feb. 2025
Lewis Lupton Photo: Bravo/Vincent Cerone/Bravo Bosun Below Deck Adventure
Season 1
—
Usually bosuns are too overbearing, but this one was too wishy-washy.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
Not wishy-washy George Clooney, not low-life Mark Ruffalo, not obnoxious Edward Norton, not freaky boho Johnny Depp, not wimpy Ryan Gosling or nondescript Glen Powell.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Dec. 2024
MasterClass Online Courses $10+ Buy Now on masterclass From cooking lessons with Gordon Ramsay to film 101 with David Lynch, MasterClass’ impressive roster of online classes taught by industry pros gives the wishy-washy giftee of yours plenty of unique options to utilize throughout the winter.
—Mia Maguire, StyleCaster, 11 Dec. 2024
People buy specific results, not wishy-washy words.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wishy-washy
Adjective
-
In microgravity, foods tend to taste bland because of fluid shifts in our body and smells no longer wafting up into our nose.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
1 May 2025
-
Water that’s too hot will scorch them and make for a bitter brew; water that’s too cold will under-extract the leaves and yield a bland cup.—
Oset Babür-Winter,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
Weak Treasury Demand Moved Rates More recently, in the wake of the administration’s chaotic trade policy rollout, Treasury security auctions did not go as expected, with weak demand pushing rates up higher than everyone expected.—
Norbert Michel,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Iran was at its weakest point since the 1980s, maybe since the Iranian revolution in 1979.—
Quinn Scanlan,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
No more boring, irrelevant training modules—this is learning at the speed of work.—
Lisa Bodell,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Some of this may happen under cover of darkness, but much of it happens in the open, under cover of arcane technocracy or boring bureaucracy.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
But the insipid Premier League displays that have pushed the club to the lower reaches of the table mean there is a scarcity of belief that such an outcome will come to pass.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Bored of an increasingly insipid Premier League season?—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The result is soft, luminous skin that’s also protected from a high UV index.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
28 Apr. 2025
-
The frame is made from a soft velvet fabric that’s extremely comfortable to recline on.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Designed for Uncertainty – And the Next Economic Landscape Think defense stocks are dull?—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Indeed, early American industrial work was demanding, dull, and dangerous.—
Made by History,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
View 6 Images Reading and writing on regular tablets can be tiring for your eyes, which is where E Ink can help.—
Paul Ridden,
New Atlas,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Ultimately, many on the internet have identified this week as a particularly tiring one for Black K-pop fans.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The banal village tunes that Mahler altered into sinister mock vulgarities—did these not recall the raffish klezmer bands, the wandering musicians who played at shtetl weddings?—
David Denby,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2025
-
The main topic of conversation was how the duo turned a photo album featuring the banal daily activities of workers at Auschwitz-Birkenau into a searing play.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wishy-washy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wishy-washy. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share