adjective🎓 English idiom

wishy-washy

indecisive, weak, or lacking conviction

What it means

Wishy-washy describes a person, opinion, or statement that is feeble, vague, or lacking firm commitment. It can also describe weak coffee, watery soup, or pale colours, though the figurative sense about character is far more common today.

Examples

  • Stop being so wishy-washy and tell us what you actually think.
  • The manager gave a wishy-washy answer that pleased nobody.
  • I can't vote for a wishy-washy candidate with no real policies.
  • Her wishy-washy apology only made him angrier.

Where it comes from

A reduplication of 'washy' (thin, watery), first recorded in the late 1600s. The figurative sense of weak character became dominant in the 19th century.

Related idioms

#mumbo-jumbo#hocus-pocus#hodge-podge#mish-mash

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