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
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
While Hollywood was doing its best to evade or outright ignore the mostly wishy-washy efforts of the MPPDA to regulate throughout the 1920s, a figure was rising in the Midwest who would change all that.
—Literary Hub, 24 June 2025
Meanwhile, Minneapolis' Twin Cities Pride rejected Target's sponsorship dollars citing wishy-washy support of the LGBTQ+ community and its DEI rollbacks.
—Eleanor Hawkins, Axios, 8 May 2025
Even last season, with a wishy-washy regular-season defense, Indiana allowed the lowest 3-point attempt rate in the NBA, according to Cleaning The Glass.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 2 May 2025
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
While Hollywood was doing its best to evade or outright ignore the mostly wishy-washy efforts of the MPPDA to regulate throughout the 1920s, a figure was rising in the Midwest who would change all that.
—Literary Hub, 24 June 2025
Meanwhile, Minneapolis' Twin Cities Pride rejected Target's sponsorship dollars citing wishy-washy support of the LGBTQ+ community and its DEI rollbacks.
—Eleanor Hawkins, Axios, 8 May 2025
Even last season, with a wishy-washy regular-season defense, Indiana allowed the lowest 3-point attempt rate in the NBA, according to Cleaning The Glass.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wishy-washy
Adjective
-
Bad salad kits have sloppy cuts of vegetables, meager toppings and oily or single-note dressings that are either too salty or just plain bland.—
Jolene Thym,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
-
PetMD advises a bland, easy-to-digest diet made up of lean proteins such as chicken or turkey, simple carbohydrates like rice or potatoes, and low fat content.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The ultrarich formula uses amino acids to reinforce weak strands, glycerin to hydrate and soften, silicones to smooth the cuticle, and coconut oil to add more moisture and shine.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
China’s economy showed further signs of weakness last month, with key data Monday revealing factory output and consumption rising at their weakest pace for around a year.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Farming takes so long and is so boring, some of us said.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The Clark County Fire Department said that tunnel boring operations had been temporarily halted at the site pending an ongoing accident investigation.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
These symptoms are more likely to appear in kittens or felines with weakened immune systems.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
-
While most healthy people can recover in four to seven days without treatment, some vulnerable people, like children under 5, adults 65 and older, and those with weakened immune systems, may experience more severe illness that requires medical treatment or hospitalization.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
On the road, the Murano sidesteps the insipid CVT vibe of the past.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
17 Aug. 2025
-
Callahan’s baritone is rich and full, but the rest of the instrumentation feels insipid.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
Athletique There is something edgy yet soft about a funnel-neck in a technical fabric—lean in and pair a wind- and water-resistant shell with trousers and sneakers for a touch of sport, or style it with a pencil skirt and kitten heels for a more feminine feel.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Swift wore Elson 4, the brand’s best-selling blue-red, but the bullet-proof formula comes in 12 beautiful hues ranging from a soft beige peach (Nude Cabaret) to a deep bronzed rose (Flesh 3).—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Early on, the dull chamber music of the Ferrari 296’s wide-angle V6 gas-electric hybrid powertrain was roundly criticized.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Rather than efficiently dicing and slicing your produce, a dull knife actually requires more force, which can cause you or someone else in your household to get hurt.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Without a strict hierarchy or single decision-maker, our process can sometimes be slow, messy, or even tiring.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The film is a mess, opaque in its argument and tiring in its effortful weirdness, and yet in its best moments has a hypnotic pull.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wishy-washy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wishy-washy. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share