milquetoast

[milk-tohst]

noun

(sometimes initial capital letter)

1. a very timid, unassertive, spineless person, especially one who is easily dominated or intimidated.

   a milquetoast who's afraid to ask for a raise.

milquetoast

/ ˈmɪlkˌtəʊst /

noun

1. a meek, submissive, or timid person

Word History and Origins

Origin of milquetoast¹

1935–40, after Caspar Milquetoast, a character in The Timid Soul, comic strip by H. T. Webster (1885–1952), American cartoonist

Word History and Origins

Origin of milquetoast¹

C20: from Caspar Milquetoast, a cartoon character invented by H. T. Webster (1885–1952)

Example Sentences

Being a moderate doesn’t mean being milquetoast.

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Publicly, by making a milquetoast Truth Social post about how the Democrats’ bringing up the Epstein issue is merely a distraction from the fallout of the government shutdown.

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“Lol they’re worried about these milquetoast chats?” wrote Proud Boy chairman Enrique Tarrio on X. “Wait till they see mine.”

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And they don’t need to insist on running milquetoast moderates in the most liberal cities and districts.

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But whipping the votes for a nominee as milquetoast as Mangi, a BigLaw partner who’d practiced at the same New York City firm for nearly 25 years, should not have been especially difficult.

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Related Words

• milksop 
• mollycoddle 
• pushover