Definition of platitude
1
:the quality or state of being dull or insipid
2
:a banal, trite, or stale remark
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Examples of platitude in a Sentence
His speech was filled with familiar platitudes about the value of hard work and dedication.
“blondes have more fun” is a silly platitude
Recent Examples of platitude from the Web
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On the surface, words like these can sound like platitudes, but when pronounced by Pierre Bergé they are convincing, because his entire working life has been spent advocating for a more equitable and tolerant society.
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Somehow, Schumer and Pelosi’s stale language was more exciting than the platitudes contained in the plan itself, a fatal flaw for an agenda that has supposedly been crafted to capture populist sentiment.
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Rather than voicing general platitudes about the good of democracy and its potential impact on the world, Kennedy chose to take an aggressive stance in a city that had been violently divided by the Cold War.
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There is press conference platitude, there is reported rumor, and then there is the practical reality of what teams actually do with their money.
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Two platitude-laden speeches given Wednesday to celebrate the new astronaut corps highlighted that aspect.
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Leave politics and platitudes about saving the planet aside, experts say, because the companies’ positions on the Paris accord boil down to their business interests.
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His life was far more complicated than can be summed up in platitudes or words on a statue.
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Israelis and Saudis speak bluntly about the threat posed to civilization by radical jihadists; Europeans retreat behind platitudes.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'platitude.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of platitude
platitude Synonyms
Synonyms
banality, bromide, chestnut, cliché (also cliche), groaner, homily, commonplace, shibboleth, trope, truismRelated Words
conventional wisdom, party line, routine; inanity; generality, generalization, simplification; adage, proverb, saw, saying; old wives' tale, stereotypeNear Antonyms
profundityPLATITUDE Defined for English Language Learners
platitude
play
noun
Definition of platitude for English Language Learners
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: a statement that expresses an idea that is not new
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for platitude Spanish Central: Translation of platitude Nglish: Translation of platitude for Spanish speakers
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