Wishy-washy
adjective
Not having a clear and strong opinion, easily changed.
His wishy-washy behavior is making it difficult for us to take a decision
Often appears as...
- wishy-washy attitude
- wishy-washy response
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Lacking in strength, not very effective or interesting.
The tea is wishy-washy. It looks like it needs more tea leaves.
Often appears as...
- wishy-washy tea
- wishy-washy performance
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Not having a clear and strong opinion, easily changed.
His wishy-washy behavior is making it difficult for us to take a decision
Often appears as...
- wishy-washy attitude
- wishy-washy response
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Lacking in strength, not very effective or interesting.
The tea is wishy-washy. It looks like it needs more tea leaves.
Often appears as...
- wishy-washy tea
- wishy-washy performance
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Personal Views
Use 'wishy-washy' when someone avoids committing to a clear, firm opinion on a subject.
Don't be wishy-washy—tell us what you really think about the new policy.
Pro Tip 2/3Conveys Frustration
'Wishy-washy' often expresses annoyance at someone's inability to make firm decisions.
We need a decisive leader, not someone who is wishy-washy on important issues.
Pro Tip 3/3In Professional Context
Use sparingly in formal work settings since 'wishy-washy' can sound informal and disrespectful.
In a professional review, I avoided calling his ideas wishy-washy and instead said they lacked clarity.
Pro Tip 1/3Personal Views
Use 'wishy-washy' when someone avoids committing to a clear, firm opinion on a subject.
Don't be wishy-washy—tell us what you really think about the new policy.
Pro Tip 2/3Conveys Frustration
'Wishy-washy' often expresses annoyance at someone's inability to make firm decisions.
We need a decisive leader, not someone who is wishy-washy on important issues.
Pro Tip 3/3In Professional Context
Use sparingly in formal work settings since 'wishy-washy' can sound informal and disrespectful.
In a professional review, I avoided calling his ideas wishy-washy and instead said they lacked clarity.
Pro Tip 1/3Personal Views
Use 'wishy-washy' when someone avoids committing to a clear, firm opinion on a subject.
Don't be wishy-washy—tell us what you really think about the new policy.
Pro Tip 2/3Conveys Frustration
'Wishy-washy' often expresses annoyance at someone's inability to make firm decisions.
We need a decisive leader, not someone who is wishy-washy on important issues.
Pro Tip 3/3In Professional Context
Use sparingly in formal work settings since 'wishy-washy' can sound informal and disrespectful.
In a professional review, I avoided calling his ideas wishy-washy and instead said they lacked clarity.
Compare with
ambivalentcertaindoubtfulhesitanceinconsistentindecisiveirresolutetentative
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Video examples
Trevor Aaronson: How...
as wishy-washy and a pipe dream scenario. But that didn't stop the FBI. They provided Sami Osmakac everything he needed. They gave him a car bomb, they gave him an AK-47, they helped him make a so-called martyrdom video, and they even gave him money for a taxi cab
Video examples
Trevor Aaronson: How...
as wishy-washy and a pipe dream scenario. But that didn't stop the FBI. They provided Sami Osmakac everything he needed. They gave him a car bomb, they gave him an AK-47, they helped him make a so-called martyrdom video, and they even gave him money for a taxi cab
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
Greg Graffin
American Musician
I call myself a naturalist as opposed to an atheist, but there are different styles. Some people just like to be close to nature. And some people actually worship nature, which is too wishy-washy because - like a lot of religious believers - they don't depend on facts.
Quote examples
Karen Salmansohn
American Author
It's not enough to just mildly want what you want. You must wildly want what you want. Nobody ever got their greatest wishes by being wishy-washy. You need to put extreme energy into your power of intention to win what you wanna win.
Quote examples
Chris Hadfield
Canadian Astronaut
There are no wishy-washy astronauts. You don't get up there by being uncaring and blase. And whatever gave you the sense of tenacity and purpose to get that far in life is absolutely reaffirmed and deepened by the experience itself.
Quote examples
Alastair Reynolds
British Author
I'm a wishy-washy 'Guardian' reader, but the last thing I want to do is force a political agenda down people's throats. It's not central to my work, unlike, say, China Mieville, who's very politicised.
Quote examples
Jackee Harry
American Actress
Women often come up not knowing how to make decisions. We get wishy-washy. We become great wage earners - breadwinners - but we don't know how to control empires.
Quote examples
Keri Hilson
American Musician
Timbaland's so wishy-washy sometimes - he'll hate a song at first and then love it, and then maybe go back to not liking it as much as something else.
Quote examples
Laura Moser
American Author
Wishy-washy equivocations - and not just on abortion, but on immigration, on civil rights, on income inequality - weaken all of us.
Quote examples
Penn Jillette
American Entertainer
I get along so much better with fundamentalist Christians than I do with wishy-washy liberals, who want everyone to get along.
Quote examples
Ian Rankin
Scottish Writer
I'm not Rebus. We're not the same. I don't even think he'd like me if we met. He'd think I was a wishy-washy liberal.
Quote examples
Tony Ferguson
American Athlete
I don't want to be close with anyone who's wishy-washy.
Quote examples
Greg Graffin
American Musician
I call myself a naturalist as opposed to an atheist, but there are different styles. Some people just like to be close to nature. And some people actually worship nature, which is too wishy-washy because - like a lot of religious believers - they don't depend on facts.
Quote examples
Karen Salmansohn
American Author
It's not enough to just mildly want what you want. You must wildly want what you want. Nobody ever got their greatest wishes by being wishy-washy. You need to put extreme energy into your power of intention to win what you wanna win.
Quote examples
Chris Hadfield
Canadian Astronaut
There are no wishy-washy astronauts. You don't get up there by being uncaring and blase. And whatever gave you the sense of tenacity and purpose to get that far in life is absolutely reaffirmed and deepened by the experience itself.
Quote examples
Alastair Reynolds
British Author
I'm a wishy-washy 'Guardian' reader, but the last thing I want to do is force a political agenda down people's throats. It's not central to my work, unlike, say, China Mieville, who's very politicised.
Quote examples
Jackee Harry
American Actress
Women often come up not knowing how to make decisions. We get wishy-washy. We become great wage earners - breadwinners - but we don't know how to control empires.
Quote examples
Keri Hilson
American Musician
Timbaland's so wishy-washy sometimes - he'll hate a song at first and then love it, and then maybe go back to not liking it as much as something else.
Quote examples
Laura Moser
American Author
Wishy-washy equivocations - and not just on abortion, but on immigration, on civil rights, on income inequality - weaken all of us.
Quote examples
Penn Jillette
American Entertainer
I get along so much better with fundamentalist Christians than I do with wishy-washy liberals, who want everyone to get along.
Quote examples
Ian Rankin
Scottish Writer
I'm not Rebus. We're not the same. I don't even think he'd like me if we met. He'd think I was a wishy-washy liberal.
Quote examples
Tony Ferguson
American Athlete
I don't want to be close with anyone who's wishy-washy.
Example 1 of 10
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