diff --git a/mesonbuild/cmake/common.py b/mesonbuild/cmake/common.py
index 32a8c6836..3de6c16ac 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/cmake/common.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/cmake/common.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import typing as T
 
 if T.TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ..environment import Environment
+    from ..interpreterbase import TYPE_var
 
 language_map = {
     'c': 'C',
@@ -121,16 +122,11 @@ def cmake_get_generator_args(env: 'Environment') -> T.List[str]:
     assert backend_name in backend_generator_map
     return ['-G', backend_generator_map[backend_name]]
 
-def cmake_defines_to_args(raw: T.Any, permissive: bool = False) -> T.List[str]:
+def cmake_defines_to_args(raw: T.List[T.Dict[str, TYPE_var]], permissive: bool = False) -> T.List[str]:
     res = []  # type: T.List[str]
-    if not isinstance(raw, list):
-        raw = [raw]
 
     for i in raw:
-        if not isinstance(i, dict):
-            raise MesonException('Invalid CMake defines. Expected a dict, but got a {}'.format(type(i).__name__))
         for key, val in i.items():
-            assert isinstance(key, str)
             if key in blacklist_cmake_defs:
                 mlog.warning('Setting', mlog.bold(key), 'is not supported. See the meson docs for cross compilation support:')
                 mlog.warning('  - URL: https://mesonbuild.com/CMake-module.html#cross-compilation')
diff --git a/mesonbuild/modules/cmake.py b/mesonbuild/modules/cmake.py
index a178b2373..bbae0333d 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/modules/cmake.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/modules/cmake.py
@@ -205,36 +205,30 @@ class CMakeSubprojectOptions(ModuleObject):
             return self.target_options[kwargs['target']]
         return self.target_options.global_options
 
+    @typed_pos_args('subproject_options.add_cmake_defines', varargs=dict)
     @noKwargs
     def add_cmake_defines(self, state, args, kwargs) -> None:
-        self.cmake_options += cmake_defines_to_args(args)
+        self.cmake_options += cmake_defines_to_args(args[0])
 
-    @stringArgs
+    @typed_pos_args('subproject_options.set_override_option', str, str)
     @permittedKwargs({'target'})
     def set_override_option(self, state, args, kwargs) -> None:
-        if len(args) != 2:
-            raise InvalidArguments('set_override_option takes exactly 2 positional arguments')
         self._get_opts(kwargs).set_opt(args[0], args[1])
 
+    @typed_pos_args('subproject_options.set_install', bool)
     @permittedKwargs({'target'})
     def set_install(self, state, args, kwargs) -> None:
-        if len(args) != 1 or not isinstance(args[0], bool):
-            raise InvalidArguments('set_install takes exactly 1 boolean argument')
         self._get_opts(kwargs).set_install(args[0])
 
-    @stringArgs
+    @typed_pos_args('subproject_options.append_compile_args', str, varargs=str, min_varargs=1)
     @permittedKwargs({'target'})
     def append_compile_args(self, state, args, kwargs) -> None:
-        if len(args) < 2:
-            raise InvalidArguments('append_compile_args takes at least 2 positional arguments')
-        self._get_opts(kwargs).append_args(args[0], args[1:])
+        self._get_opts(kwargs).append_args(args[0], args[1])
 
-    @stringArgs
+    @typed_pos_args('subproject_options.append_compile_args', varargs=str, min_varargs=1)
     @permittedKwargs({'target'})
     def append_link_args(self, state, args, kwargs) -> None:
-        if not args:
-            raise InvalidArguments('append_link_args takes at least 1 positional argument')
-        self._get_opts(kwargs).append_link_args(args)
+        self._get_opts(kwargs).append_link_args(args[0])
 
     @noPosargs
     @noKwargs