ninny

noun

ˈni-nē How to pronounce ninny (audio)
Definition of ninnynext
1
as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment only a ninny would try to cross a swollen, raging river

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in idiot
a stupid person was such a ninny that he kept forgetting my name, even though I was wearing a name tag

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ninny So that could be best encapsulated in getting to walk into a room with Bradley Whitford and Betty Gilpin and be a simpering ninny. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026 Jane Austen wrote takedowns of this kind of ninny two centuries ago — how fun to see Pike update her twit to the post-Y2K era. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Kopas, who wisely eschews hamming, makes Frank a spry, eloquent presence, although more dourness in the play’s initial scenes might help his character stand out from the salon’s cheerful ninnies. — Celia Wren, Washington Post, 4 May 2023 Sure enough, the team at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, an organization that provides food to more than 700 pantries throughout the Chicago area, contacted me and said a conservative donor who thinks me quite the ninny had donated $10,000. — Rex Huppke, chicagotribune.com, 16 Dec. 2021 This Macbeth is something of a ninny, a lightweight who lounges on a throne that seems far too big for him. — Kyle Smith, National Review, 2 Nov. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ninny
  1. lunatic
  2. moron
  3. fool
  4. stupid
  5. goose
  6. maniac
Noun
  • Republicans see an opportunity here, portraying progressive and socialist Democrats as lunatics and communists.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • While sane Americans were celebrating the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia on Tuesday night, the lunatics in Portland, Oregon were cheering along as two men made out on a baseball field during a 'Heated Rivalry' theme night.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of lunatic
Noun
  • God help us all if some idiot, some moron, ever put you in charge.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 18 July 2026
  • Mantzoukas was willing to look like a maniac and a moron in equal measure.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 June 2026
Definition of moron
Noun
  • But don’t let the cute style fool you—this look is super practical, too.
    — Kayla Becker, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2026
  • However, reinventing Beethoven at the Bowl, doing so following Dudamel and with little rehearsal time, could easily become a fool’s errand.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of fool
Noun
  • My dad has always said the lottery is a tax on the stupid.
    — Alex Crippen, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Problem is, even people who know baseball don’t know baseball, which makes betting on baseball stupid.
    — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
Definition of stupid
Noun
  • Crown Royal whisky, goose down jackets, ice-hockey equipment and a long list of other Canadian goods could become much more expensive for American consumers.
    — Amy B Wang, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Taylor Sheridan is Paramount's golden goose right now, creating the ultra-popular Yellowstone franchise along with a passel of other shows.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 30 July 2026
Definition of goose
Noun
  • Unbeknownst to the visitors, there’s an unhappy fifth party already in the house… and more than one homicidal maniac even within that small populace.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 28 July 2026
  • The odd thing about this choice is that, although the DSA’s platform is indeed chock-full of maniacal proposals, on this particular idea, the maniacs have a point.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
Definition of maniac

Browse Nearby Words

ninnies
ninny
ninnyhammer
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Cite this Entry

“Ninny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ninny. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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