Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Wearing or accompanied by a simper; hence, affected; silly.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • a. & n. from simper, v.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Present participle of simper.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word simpering.

Examples

  • I still say David Bamber for Varys...he could pull off "simpering" very well!

    Who let the dogs out? 2009

  • Now with that kind of simpering obedience on the part of the Fourth Estate, are you really surprised that when they got to tell the story of those debates, Bush ultimately won the election?

    A Tale Of Two Headlines 2009

  • And so, the people who haven't made up their mind are maybe less impressed by Vice President Gore's debating points by the fact that off camera, he's kind of simpering, he's giggling, he's laughing, he is a-- he's not a very pleasant personality, while George Bush not as effective a debater ...

    CNN Transcript - Special Event: Election 2000: Gore and Bush Face Off in Their First Presidential Debate - October 3, 2000 2000

  • "Ah!" sighed Celeste, who prided herself on her delicacy, "I never could eat more than would satisfy a mouse, and since my engagement," simpering, "I cannot swallow enough to scarce keep me alive!"

    Wired Love A Romance of Dots and Dashes Ella Cheever Thayer

  • "He is a great amateur of pictures," observed the Exquisite, "and is allowed to be quite a connoisseur in beauty; but there," simpering, "everyone must claim the privilege of judging for themselves."

    English Satires Various 1885

  • The notary, whose face was so seamed by the smallpox that it seemed to be covered with a white net, formed a perfect contrast to the rotund person of the mayor, whose face resembled a full moon, but a warm and lively moon; its tones of lily and of rose being still further brightened by a gracious smile, the result not so much of a disposition of the soul as of that formation of the lips for which the word "simpering" seems to have been created.

    The Deputy of Arcis Honor�� de Balzac 1824

  • In the presence of adults, they reverted to form, stepping aside and begging like simpering children.

    Coming of Age as a Bird of Prey Jennie Erin Smith 2011

  • I plan on memorizing this: “snide, simpering postmodernists, a parasitic infestation of servile acolytes of a sterile ideology” for the next run in with the York student union over pro-life clubs.

    ProWomanProLife » The problem with universities 2010

  • The York coterie whom I did indeed call “shallow” were snide, simpering postmodernists, a parasitic infestation of servile acolytes of a sterile ideology that continues to plague many Anglo-American universities.

    ProWomanProLife » The problem with universities 2010

  • The only reason they would analyze the situation as "have to" is because they have reached the point of wondering whether it is in THEIR OWN political benefit to push through with what they know is right or to cave like simpering fool sissies to the egregiously inflamatory misinformation campaign conducted by the GOPers.

    Senate Democrat fuming at Lieberman 2009

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • hmmm...Frank Burns comes to mind...

    July 26, 2009