wimp

¹ American  

[wimp] / wɪmp /

noun

Informal.

1. a weak, ineffectual, timid person.

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verb phrase

1. wimp out

   1. to be or act like a wimp.

   2. to show timidity or cowardice; chicken out.

WIMP ² American  

[wimp] / wɪmp /

noun

1. any of a group of weakly interacting elementary particles predicted by various unified field theories, as the W particle and Z-zero particle, that are characterized by relatively large masses.

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WIMP ¹ British  

/ wɪmp /

acronym

1. windows, icons, menus ( or mice), pointers: denoting a type of user-friendly screen display used on small computers

   a WIMP system

2. physics weakly interacting massive particle

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wimp ² British  

/ wɪmp /

noun

1. informal a feeble ineffective person See also wimp out

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WIMP Scientific  

/ wĭmp /

1. Short for weakly interacting massive particle. Any of various hypothetical particles, some predicted by certain theories such as supersymmetry, which interact with other particles by the force of gravity alone. WIMPs are considered by some scientists to be candidates for the dark matter that makes up much of the mass of the universe.

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Other Word Forms

• wimpish adjective

Etymology

Origin of wimp¹

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20; origin uncertain; whimper

Origin of WIMP²

1985–90; W(eakly) I(nteracting) M(assive) P(article)

Explanation

A wimp is someone who's fearful or weak. If you don't want to ride the roller coaster, you don't have to — don't let yourself be talked into it just because you're worried your friends will call you a wimp. Wimp is an informal, derogatory way to refer to someone who's nervous or unadventurous, like calling them a "chicken" or "crybaby." And when you wimp out, you don't follow through on something because you're too scared: "I didn't mean to wimp out, but when I got up there, I changed my mind about bungee jumping." Experts aren't sure about the origin of wimp but think it may be connected to whimper, "cry softly and fearfully."

Example Sentences

Tell me you’re not a wimp without telling me you’re not a wimp.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2025

He reacted and Scarlett "jokingly" called him a wimp, Ms Hall says.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2025

The stakes were much lower on Thursday, but the pattern held firm: Jordan's focus was on creating an illusion of tenacity while being too much of a wimp to own up to his own failures.

From Salon • Oct. 20, 2023

It’s a tough assignment for a self-described wimp who ceaselessly cites his own shortcomings: bad grades, a flabby torso, a smarmy personality.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 20, 2023

Colin didn't answer, but he was thinking that Lindsey Lee Wells, for all her coolness and whatever, was a bit of a wimp.

From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green

Related Words

• coward
• crybaby
• pushover