as in boring
lacking in distinctive features or qualities
a plain vanilla version of a song that's been recorded more times than necessary
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Recent Examples of vanilla
The court has ruled that the companies must develop a new product formula that does not include vanilla derived from non-vanilla plant sources within 12 months of the settlement’s finalization, according to the news release.
—
Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for vanilla
Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for vanilla
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vanilla
Adjective
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The rooms Forget boring beiges and personality-less whites.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
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This is a boring line of logic to keep hammering as the season drags on.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Easier, maybe, to imagine Blume rejecting the general proposition of an author biography, which seeks to root a subject’s work in their specific experiences, dislodging them from a supposedly neutral or unmarked position.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
18 Mar. 2026
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The measure renames the cap-and-trade program cap-and-invest and extends it 15 years from 2030, the current expiration date, coinciding with the state’s declared intention to make California carbon neutral by 2045.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Available in two different colorways, conservative design connoisseurs will likely find comfort in the classic blue and natural beige color combo, while the punchy purple and green option might entice those with more adventurous color appetites.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
17 Mar. 2026
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Lean into the nostalgic, getting-down-to-business spirit by pairing a slouchy tan style with a colored button-up, and beige sweater.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That summer, Cohen and a team of DOGE operatives touched down at the NRC offices, a series of nondescript towers across from a Dunkin’ in suburban Maryland.—
Avi Asher-Schapiro,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
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Smaller, nondescript sparrows and wrens steered clear rather than risk attack by the larger cardinals.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The 39th floor penthouse of SoftBank’s downtown Tokyo headquarters is not your usual featureless C-suite.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
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Objects that were invisible to Hubble are easily revealed to JWST; objects that appear blurry to Hubble appear sharp with JWST views; objects that appeared featureless to Hubble have many clear features visible within them as seen by JWST.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vanilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vanilla. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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