wishy-washy
Americanadjective
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lacking in decisiveness; without strength or character; irresolute.
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washy or watery, as a liquid; thin and weak.
adjective
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lacking in substance, force, colour, etc
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watery; thin
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wishy-washy
First recorded in 1685–95; gradational compound based on washy
Explanation
If you're wishy-washy, you're not determined or resolute, but instead act in a way that's weak or uncertain. A politician might give wishy-washy answers to difficult questions, so you're left not really knowing where they stand. Use the adjective wishy-washy when you describe something that's either wimpy and ineffective or that wavers back and forth without a resolution. You might march up to a bully, ready to give them a piece of your mind, only to end up saying something wishy-washy like, "Um, maybe you could be a little nicer?" Or you could find yourself being wishy-washy as you choose an ice cream flavor, wavering between vanilla and double-fudge mocha with marshmallows.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It was when it reported on matters of which I had zero awareness: my HRV balance, for example, or my chronotype, albeit a wishy-washy “late morning,” a designation I plan to flip to early bird.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 29, 2026
RFK Jr. then went on Joe Rogan’s podcast and made some wishy-washy remarks about the whole thing, including that glyphosate is “not a good thing to have in your food.”
From Slate ● Mar. 5, 2026
The head of the culture select committee has questioned whether the BBC board is in "safe hands" under its chair Samir Shah, describing his evidence to MPs on Monday as "wishy-washy".
From BBC ● Nov. 24, 2025
On the stand, however, it sounds more like Sandra’s on trial for being wishy-washy, frustrated and occasionally callous.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2024
Today, the term Hellenistic retains an unfocused, wishy-washy feel, if not a whiff of outright condescension.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
