adjective

wishy-washy

WISH-ee WOSH-ee

Wishy-washy (adjective) means lacking firmness or clear opinions; vague, indecisive and unwilling to commit to a position. Example: “He gave a wishy-washy answer that pleased nobody.”

adjective

informal Lacking firmness or clear opinions; vague, indecisive and unwilling to commit to a position.

"He gave a wishy-washy answer that pleased nobody."

"Stop being so wishy-washy and tell me whether you want to come."

informal Weak, pale or watery in colour, flavour or strength.

"The walls were painted a wishy-washy beige."

"This tea is wishy-washy — you barely let it brew."

How to use wishy-washy

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWeak and not definite — either an opinion or a colour.

When to use it

Informal and always disapproving. Usually hyphenated.

Memory tip

Keep the hyphen; "wishy washy" as two words is a common misspelling.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

wishy-washy vs washy wishy-washy vs indecisive

Common pairings

a wishy-washy answer wishy-washy liberal wishy-washy colours

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He gave a _____ answer that pleased nobody.

Etymology

A reduplication of "washy", meaning thin or watery, with vowel variation of the kind found in dilly-dally and knick-knack.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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indecisive noncommittal vague feeble namby-pamby insipid watery washed-out pallid bland

Antonyms

decisive firm forthright emphatic vivid strong bold

Related words

house business company hard final strong decision agency

Rhymes for wishy-washy

trashy flashy

See all rhymes for wishy-washy →

Frequently asked questions

Is wishy-washy hyphenated?

Yes. The standard spelling in both British and American dictionaries is wishy-washy with a hyphen. Writing it as two separate words is treated as an error.

What is the difference between wishy-washy and indecisive?

Indecisive describes someone who cannot make up their mind, and is fairly neutral. Wishy-washy is informal and more scornful, suggesting a general lack of backbone or conviction rather than a single hard decision.

Can wishy-washy describe a colour?

Yes. Applied to colour, flavour or drinks it means pale, weak or watery — a wishy-washy pink, a wishy-washy soup.

What is the meaning of wishy-washy?

"wishy-washy" (adjective) means lacking firmness or clear opinions; vague, indecisive and unwilling to commit to a position.

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