1
of a person
: timid, meek, or unassertive
Do we really want a someone who is a milquetoast halfhearted candidate or someone who will defend the Constitution with every fiber of her being?—
Dana B. Orr
Dana B. Orr2
: lacking in character or vigor : wishy-washy
… after declining multiple opportunities to comment during the reporting of the story, he finally produced a most milquetoast statement Friday.—Jerry Brewer
Jerry Brewer
Did you know?
Why is it milquetoast, and not milk toast?
Caspar Milquetoast is a comic strip character created in 1924 by cartoonist Harold T. Webster. Beginning a few years after the character's debut, the term milquetoast came to describe a timid or meek person. Caspar's last name is fitting because milk toast is a weak, bland concoction of buttered toast served in a dish of warm milk.
Examples of milquetoast in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 4 July 2025
Like Ray did for its generation, Sophia proves that one little book willing to fill every word with lightning is worth more than the milquetoast marketability of a thousand best sellers.
—Dan Leach
july 3, Literary Hub, 3 July 2025
Jim Reineking, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
But those who did had to watch him tonight, as the famously milquetoast comedian hosted the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, where the crème de la crème of post-prestige television duked it out for a couple shelves’ worth of trophies.
—Vulture Staff, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for milquetoast
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Noun
The lyrics’ milquetoast moodiness may also contribute to the band’s listener numbers.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 4 July 2025
Like Ray did for its generation, Sophia proves that one little book willing to fill every word with lightning is worth more than the milquetoast marketability of a thousand best sellers.
—Dan Leach
july 3, Literary Hub, 3 July 2025
Adjective
The Dolphins' milquetoast defense is allowing 33 points a game, and 13 of 15 offensive drives by opponents have resulted in points.
—Jim Reineking, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
But those who did had to watch him tonight, as the famously milquetoast comedian hosted the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, where the crème de la crème of post-prestige television duked it out for a couple shelves’ worth of trophies.
—Vulture Staff, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for milquetoast
Cite this Entry
“Milquetoast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/milquetoast. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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