platitude
noun
-ˌtyüd \
Definition of platitude
1 : the quality or state of being dull or insipid
2 : a banal, trite, or stale remark
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Synonyms for platitude
Synonyms
banality, bromide, chestnut, cliché (also cliche), commonplace, groaner, homily, shibboleth, truism
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Examples of platitude in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One after another speakers piled on the platitudes. — J.k. Dineen, San Francisco Chronicle, "San Francisco’s big new building has a down-to-earth opening ceremony," 22 May 2018 Whether Police Chief Art Acevedo and Houston Police Officers Union President Joe Gamaldi can move the ball forward beyond platitudes from city hall - that's anybody's guess. — St. John Barned-smith, Houston Chronicle, "How understaffed are Houston police, really? ... It's complicated.," 1 Feb. 2018 Turn off the podcasts and put away the platitudes and instant affirmations, and go out into the world and walk your own streets. — Bess Matassa, Teen Vogue, "Weekly Horoscopes July 2-8," 29 June 2018 The Reddit platitude went something like this: in every relationship one person is going to be giving 60 percent and one person is going to be giving 40 percent, and both people should be trying to be the one who gives 60 percent. — Sophia Benoit, GQ, "This Is the Hottest Thing You Can Do for Your Relationship," 13 June 2018 Is there anything worse, anything less conducive to the enjoyment and understanding of the beautiful game, than a round table of former professionals braying platitudes at one another beneath the unforgiving lights of a TV studio? — Giles Harvey, New York Times, "Letter of Recommendation: ‘The Totally Football Show With James Richardson’," 3 July 2018 After the normal thank yous and platitudes of the opening ceremony of the Travelers Championship concluded, a young girl in a khaki skirt and blue polo stepped behind the podium. — Kelli Stacy, courant.com, "Travelers Championship Opens With Special Moment From Hole In The Wall Gang Camp Children," 18 June 2018 The book is messy as hell: full of insipid platitudes, trite homilies, and self-regarding detours delivered with the assurance of a man who fully expects to see his childhood finger paintings in a museum someday. — Laurie Penny, Longreads, "Peterson’s Complaint," 12 July 2018 That her language function in these early stages seems fatally limited to platitudes about stars and splendor? — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Westworld: What's in 'The Valley Beyond'?," 29 Apr. 2018These 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.
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More Definitions for platitude
platitude
noun
English Language Learners Definition of platitude
: a statement that expresses an idea that is not new
See the full definition for platitude in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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