washy

American

[wosh-ee, waw-shee] / ˈwɒʃ i, ˈwɔ ʃi /

adjective

washier, washiest

diluted too much; weak.

washy coffee.
pale, thin, or weak, as if from excessive dilution; pallid.

washy coloring.

washy British

/ ˈwɒʃɪ /

adjective

overdiluted, watery, or weak
lacking intensity or strength

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

washily adverb
washiness noun

Etymology

Origin of washy

First recorded in 1560–70; wash + -y ¹

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.

"Richard was incredibly keen on transplants and he used to nag me, 'what do you want to do?' and I was a bit wishy washy about it and wouldn't really answer."

From BBC • Sep. 18, 2024

Rosenberg tells the story of her artistic breakthrough, or breakdown: Richard Artschwager, a visiting artist, indicated one of Rosenberg’s washy canvases and asked aloud why anyone would make such a thing.

From New York Times • Mar. 29, 2023

I had to take a softer tone and risk, potentially in the eyes of some people, seeming a bit soft or a bit non-committal and a bit wishy washy.

From Salon • Aug. 13, 2022

And I think that it's really important, because technology is moving so fast, and I feel like values are getting lost and a little wishy washy.

From The Verge • Mar. 3, 2016

Through a tunnel of washy sounds, I hover just above his arms, floating on a current above this chaos.

From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023