as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull
it's hackneyed, but true—the more you save the more you earn
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in exhausted
to use so much as to make less appealing
advertisers have hackneyed the word "revolutionary" so much that it now just means that a product is new
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hackneyed
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Trauma is not a hackneyed literary trope in the work of Miriam Toews.
—Lorrie Moore, The New York Review of Books, 4 Sep. 2025
Writer-director James Agnew’s hackneyed action-thriller is woefully short on action and thrills, and generic enough to suggest it was scripted by AI.
—Joe Leydon, Variety, 27 June 2025
This hackneyed stance has turned his concert performances shrill and hollow.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hackneyed
Adjective
The story revolves around this character in ways that feel hackneyed and forced.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Trauma is not a hackneyed literary trope in the work of Miriam Toews.
—Lorrie Moore, The New York Review of Books, 4 Sep. 2025
Writer-director James Agnew’s hackneyed action-thriller is woefully short on action and thrills, and generic enough to suggest it was scripted by AI.
—Joe Leydon, Variety, 27 June 2025
This hackneyed stance has turned his concert performances shrill and hollow.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hackneyed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hackneyed
Adjective
-
Later, Lenape artist Joe Baker places cutout photographs of his ancestors over the stereotyped images of Native Americans found in the wallpaper.—
Tom McDonough,
Artforum,
1 Nov. 2025
-
Several leaders described the pressure of being both highly visible and easily stereotyped.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Verb
-
They're exhausted by the constant airing of grievances having little to do with what's actually going on in the country, and by the broad generalizations about, well, everything, that ignore context, nuance and facts to promote a political viewpoint.—
Brenda Looper,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
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But critically, there's a gaping hole in the offensive line following the departure of left tackle Dorion Strawn, who exhausted his eligibility.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Nanos must also be tired of talking, though that one is on him.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Aiona has grown tired of spending his retirement telling park-goers to stop feeding the chickens.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
All-cash offers, including in Boise and its surrounding suburbs, became commonplace and spurred bidding wars that drove up housing prices, Michael Megis, a longtime broker also with the Homes of Idaho real estate firm, said in an interview.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
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McTier said Disney’s deal with OpenAI is an example of the kind of partnership that should become more commonplace.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
So, if the idea of culture is overused, its importance tells the path to success — or failure.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Jan. 2026
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Lastly, Abbas notes that, like any exfoliant, citric acid can cause dryness, irritation, or sensitivity if overused or used in very high concentrations.—
Jacqueline Kilikita,
Refinery29,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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What ultimately keeps the house from feeling hokey or trite is Glazer’s commitment to her all-encompassing taste.—
Mark Lamster
Architecture Critic,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
On its surface, the words could be seen as trite coach speak.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Shot with devotion by DP Hélène Louvart, frame after frame looks like it’s been ripped from the pages of a fashion magazine that someone like Anna might occupy herself with, eternally bored by the rich comforts that their prison-like home provides.—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Feb. 2026
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You won’t be bored here, thanks to multiple natural hot springs, waterfalls, and the resort's adventure center.—
Lauren P. Reyes,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Most retirees are overexposed to housing.—
Allison Schrager,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Only a few years after her 21st birthday extravaganza, Paris Hilton had been overexposed.—
Serena Turner,
Vanity Fair,
29 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hackneyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hackneyed. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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