wimp

Use the word "wimp" to describe a person who is weak in mind, body, or spirit.

• Walter called Hugo a wimp because he backed down from a fight.
• Donna thinks her friend Fiona is a wimp because she’s afraid to talk to boys.
• Antonio didn’t want to be called a wimp so he ate the hot chili pepper to show how brave he was.

It’s not nice to say that another person is a wimp, but it’s fairly common–especially among young people–to use this word:

• He’s a wimp.
• Don’t be a wimp.
• Don’t wimp out on us.
• You wimp.

The word "wimpy" is an adjective. Use wimpy to describe a person or a thing:

• This food is kind of wimpy. It’s not hot enough.
• The movie had a wimpy ending.
• Ahmed said he won’t drive a minivan because it’ll make him look wimpy.
• The soccer team looked wimpy on the field compared to the other team.

Tiberius wasn’t afraid of being called a wimp when he ran away from an erupting volcano.

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Date of publication: October 31, 2016