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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ninny
  1. lunatic
  2. moron
  3. fool
  4. stupid
  5. goose
  6. maniac
Noun
  • As a Spurs fan, I was particularly invested in Campbell in an England shirt and recall charging around the living room like a lunatic before the reality that it had been chalked off hit home.
    — The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 18 June 2026
  • The lunatics are running the asylum.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
Definition of lunatic
Noun
  • Mantzoukas was willing to look like a maniac and a moron in equal measure.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 June 2026
  • Lluís then calls Puig Antich a moron.
    — Colm Tóibín, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2026
Definition of moron
Noun
  • Being a gent or a supplicant wasn’t the same as being a fool, though.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 June 2026
  • Don’t let the simple style fool you, though, because the ultra-soft foam insoles provide solid arch support.
    — Caitlyn Fitzpatrick, PEOPLE, 29 June 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
  • The list goes on, though; roast goose and crispy fried pigeon star on the menu at The Legacy House, and stylish couples swish into DarkSide for live jazz even on most evenings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 June 2026
  • Organic cotton and goose down in three firm varieties mean there’s a suitable fill for stomach, back, and side sleepers alike.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 26 June 2026
Definition of goose
Noun
  • Mantzoukas was willing to look like a maniac and a moron in equal measure.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 June 2026
  • The Martin Lawrence vehicle Martin, which ran for five glorious seasons, offered a terrific platform for Lawrence to run around like a maniac as an energetic radio DJ.
    — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 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 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ninny

Nglish: Translation of ninny for Spanish Speakers

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