banality

noun

ba·​nal·​i·​ty bə-ˈna-lə-tē How to pronounce banality (audio) bā- How to pronounce banality (audio)
 also  ba-
plural banalities
1
: something that lacks originality, freshness, or novelty : something banal : commonplace
2
: the quality or state of lacking new or interesting qualities : the quality or state of being banal

Examples of banality in a Sentence

The trip offers an escape from the banalities of daily life. We exchanged banalities about the weather. The writing never rose above banality.
Recent Examples on the Web One almost wonders if, by resisting the banalities of his industry, Korine has evolved into a conventional studio artist. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 9 Feb. 2024 More Movies:First 5-star movie of 2024: The Zone of Interest' examines the banality of evil Meredith G. White is the entertainment reporter for The Arizona Republic |azcentral.com. The Arizona Republic, 29 Jan. 2024 However, to imbue the story as a whole with these feelings — absent any sort of challenge, subversion or rumination — leaves it vulnerable to the very criticisms of banality that seem to be on Glasner’s mind and on the tip of the movie’s tongue. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Feb. 2024 Such is the premise of Kaveh Akbar’s first novel, Martyr!, an existential comedy about the difficulty of finding beauty in banality and sense in suffering. Nicolás Medina Mora, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2024 More Movies:First 5-star movie of 2024: 'The Zone of Interest' examines the banality of evil Meredith G. White is the entertainment reporter for The Arizona Republic |azcentral.com. The Arizona Republic, 17 Jan. 2024 The film is a harrowing look at the banality of evil in its most dangerous form. Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 10 Nov. 2023 Cronenberg’s genius consists in his rare ability to see that elevation can attend disgust, and almost all his movies raise the possibility that a hideous ordeal might double as a reprieve from banality. Becca Rothfeld, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024 Even seemingly ordinary events like a family reunion or a visit to a grungy Long Beach theme park simmer with undercurrents of violence and matter-of-fact banality. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'banality.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French banalité, from banal "available for general use, commonplace, banal" + -ité -ity

Note: The modern French word is probably an eighteenth-century coinage, and not continuous with Middle French bannalité "a feudal lord's right to extract usage fees, area under such a jurisdiction."

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of banality was in 1821

Dictionary Entries Near banality

Cite this Entry

“Banality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/banality. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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