bland

adjective

ˈbland 

1

a

: smooth and soothing in manner or quality

bland approval

a bland smile

b

: exhibiting no personal concern or embarrassment : unperturbed

a bland confession of guilt

2

a

: not irritating, stimulating, or invigorating : soothing

a bland oil

the bland climate of the southern coast

b

: dull, insipid

bland stories with little plot or action

a bland rendition of the song

c

: lacking strong flavor

Expect both kinds of salsify to be subtle and delicate—too bland for some tastebuds.

—Elizabeth Schneider

blandly

ˈblan(d)-lē 

adverb

blandness

ˈblan(d)-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• balmy
• benign
• delicate
• gentle
• light
• mellow
• mild
• nonabrasive
• soft
• soothing
• tender

Choose the Right Synonym for bland

suave, urbane, diplomatic, bland, smooth, politic mean pleasantly tactful and well-mannered.

suave suggests a specific ability to deal with others easily and without friction.

a suave public relations coordinator

urbane implies high cultivation and poise coming from wide social experience.

an urbane traveler

diplomatic stresses an ability to deal with ticklish situations tactfully.

a diplomatic negotiator

bland emphasizes mildness of manner and absence of irritating qualities.

a bland master of ceremonies

smooth suggests often a deliberately assumed suavity.

a smooth salesman

politic implies shrewd as well as tactful and suave handling of people.

a cunningly politic manager

Examples of bland in a Sentence

The vegetable soup was rather bland.

The diplomat's bland statement did nothing to calm the situation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Sadly, that car had a rather bland white-over-green livery—a color scheme that does not suit my penchant for flash. —Brett Berk, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024

Some inevitable combination of bureaucracy, human fallibility, and mathematical law keeps things bland: each time, the curators settle on sixty or a hundred or, this year, seventy-one artists whose creations have some relevance to the state of society, as well as to the state of art. —Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2024

It’s infused with a blend of Italian peppers, which impart a light heat that won’t char your palate—but will certainly wake up any otherwise bland dishes on the menu. —Sara Coughlin, SELF, 13 Mar. 2024

Despite its name, Vanillaware is anything but bland. —Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024

The two trade bland hello's while Chelsea feels ill watching them together. —Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2024

That bland description does the drake wood duck’s plumage no justice at all. —Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 15 Feb. 2024

More and more content that is distorted – or at the very least, utterly bland. —Bernard Marr, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

Striking and bland art works alike have a fleshy funk. —Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin blandus "influencing others by flattery, ingratiating, insidious, calm, gentle, agreeable to the senses, pleasant," of uncertain origin

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

bland

adjective

ˈbland 

1

: smooth and soothing in manner : gentle

a bland smile

2

a

: having soft and soothing qualities : not irritating

bland diet

b

: not interesting : dull

a bland story

blandly

ˈblan-(d)lē 

adverb

blandness

ˈblan(d)-nəs 

noun