Meaning & use
nebbish
Last updated
UK/ˈnebɪʃ/
US/ˈnɛbɪʃ/
Meaning
nouncountableinformaldisapproving
A meek, awkward person who seems unable to stand up for himself or get things done.
Grammar: Used for people, usually men, with some sympathy.
Patterns
- a bit of a nebbish
He was a nebbish who apologized every time someone bumped into him.
The movie's hero starts as a nebbish and grows more confident.
My boss isn't a bully, just a nervous nebbish.
Word forms
| plural | nebbishes |
|---|
Common combinations
- a poor nebbish
- He felt like a poor nebbish in the crowd.
- timid nebbish
- The role of a timid nebbish suited him.
- nebbish accountant
- The film features a nebbish accountant.
- nervous nebbish
- She married a nervous nebbish.
- nebbish type
- He's a bookish, nebbish type.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wimp
- Wimp is harsher and carries contempt, while nebbish often has pity or affection mixed in.
- milquetoast
- Milquetoast stresses being meek and unadventurous, while nebbish stresses being awkward and unlucky.
- schlemiel
- Schlemiel is another Yiddish word, and it suggests a clumsy person who causes his own bad luck.
- doormat
- Doormat describes a person whom others walk over, and focuses on how they are treated.
Opposites
Word family
- nebbishy adjective
- like a nebbish; timid and awkward
- nebbishness noun
- the quality of being a nebbish
Commonly confused: nebbish or nebulous?
nebbish vs nebulous
Nebulous means vague or unclear and is used for ideas, not for timid people.
Practice
Which character would a writer most likely call a nebbish?
Choose one answer.
A nebbish is meek and ineffectual, like the shy clerk. The others are bold, forceful or successful.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nebbish”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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