stereotype
verb
ˈstir-\
Definition of stereotype
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : to make a stereotype from
2a : to repeat without variation : make hackneyed
b : to develop a mental stereotype about
stereotype
nounDefinition of stereotype (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : a plate cast from a printing surface
2 : something conforming to a fixed or general pattern especially : a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment
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Other Words from stereotype
Verb
Noun
\
or less commonly
stereotypic
\ ˌster-ē-ə-ˈti-pik
\
adjective
\
adverb
Synonyms for stereotype
Synonyms: Verb
hackney, overexpose, overuse, vulgarize
Synonyms: Noun
concept, conception, generality, generalization, notion
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Examples of stereotype in a Sentence
Verb
It's not fair to stereotype a whole group of people based on one person you don't like. movies have stereotyped the hooker with a heart of gold ad nauseamNoun
the stereotype of the absentminded professor the noble savage was a stereotype that appealed to 18th-century intellectuals, who viewed European civilization as decadent and corrupt
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
In some instances, the liberal arguments come from candidates who can sell themselves as trustworthy messengers, even if the message is stereotyped as out of place. — Thomas Beaumont, The Seattle Times, "Democrats test liberal messages in midterm House elections," 11 June 2018 Of the 118 study participants Allam interviewed, 84 reported that feminist ideologies carried a negative connotation among Egyptians and that feminist activists were stereotyped. — Kim Yi Dionne, Washington Post, "This book helps us understand women’s participation in the Egyptian uprising," 8 June 2018 The American mainstream often stereotypes classical fans as stodgy and stuck in the past. — Patrick Neas, kansascity, "KC Fringe Festival brings an adventurous spirit to classical themes," 13 July 2018 And while the opioid crisis has been stereotyped as affecting mainly whites — who still made up the largest share of opioid overdoses in the city in 2017 — death rates among black opioid users are on the rise. — Aubrey Whelan, Philly.com, "West Philadelphia nervously watches as fentanyl kills the unsuspecting," 5 July 2018 For years they were stereotyped as convenience-store owners and overachieving children. — The Economist, "The Indian-American underachiever," 28 June 2018 The trend is even spilling over to cruises, once stereotyped as weight-gaining vacations with bottomless buffets. — Kelli Kennedy, chicagotribune.com, "From celeb trainer workouts to cruises, 'wellness travel' is booming - and bringing in big money," 7 June 2018 Both sides felt pigeonholed and stereotyped over the years. — Lisa Rosen, latimes.com, "'Wild, Wild Country' documents bizarre tale of sex, drugs and religious fervor," 13 June 2018 Since the 2016 election, many folks have tried to stereotype the coasts as the places living in their own bubbles. — NBC News, "Meet the Press -May 20, 2018," 20 May 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
But addressing the stereotypes, being really intentional around inclusion at the highest level across gender, across race, is really important from an operations standpoint and also just like welcoming into the sport. — Recode Staff, Recode, "Full transcript: Investor and lacrosse player Paul Rabil on Too Embarrassed to Ask," 18 June 2018 In one study, researchers tapped into negative black stereotypes by playing violent rap music for white participants who had no external biases. — Leslie Henderson, Scientific American, "Why Our Brains See the World as "Us" versus "Them"," 22 June 2018 The two also regularly host social media forums on such issues as elevating women to leadership positions, breaking down gender stereotypes and making childcare more affordable. — Angela Hart, sacbee, "She's not on the ballot, but this woman could be 'front and center' in the governor's office," 31 May 2018 Meghan Markle is inspiring girls everywhere to break gender stereotypes on International Women’s Day. — Simon Perry, PEOPLE.com, "'How Many Photos Do You Have of Princesses Doing Technical Things?' Meghan Markle Urges Girls to Break Stereotypes," 8 Mar. 2018 Nicholson says Poppleton, who is 1 year old, breaks gender stereotypes with his pink wardrobe and is a very laid-back; Priscilla, 2, is sassy and full of herself — a complete HBIC. — Lane Moore, Cosmopolitan, "This Impossibly Glamorous Pig Pair Is Famous AF — a Superfan Explains Why," 8 June 2015 The combat is fast and fluid in the way of many of the best Japanese mecha games, but with hilarious American stereotypes thrown in at every opportunity. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "How a tweet brought mecha cult classic Metal Wolf Chaos back to life 15 years later," 14 June 2018 In a lot of media nowadays, teen is a stereotype, not an age anymore. — refinery29.com, "Eighth Grade's Elsie Fisher Shares What She Wishes People Knew About Gen Z," 11 July 2018 That means not only breaking down historical and present-day stereotypes, but learning to see what is missing from pictures of the past. — Irene Hsu, The New Republic, "The Echoes of Chinese Exclusion," 28 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stereotype.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
7 Obsolete Allusions That We Still Use
7 Obsolete Allusions That We Still Use
Common terms that reference old things
Dictionary Entries near stereotype
Statistics for stereotype
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for stereotype
The first known use of stereotype was in 1804
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More Definitions for stereotype
stereotype
verb
English Language Learners Definition of stereotype
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to believe unfairly that all people or things with a particular characteristic are the same
stereotype
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of stereotype (Entry 2 of 2)
: an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic
See the full definition for stereotype in the English Language Learners Dictionary
stereotype
noun
ˈstir-\
Kids Definition of stereotype
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a fixed idea that many people have about a thing or a group that may often be untrue or only partly true
stereotype
verbKids Definition of stereotype (Entry 2 of 2)
: to form a fixed and often untrue or only partly true idea about It's unfair to stereotype people according to where they live.
stereotype
transitive verb
ˈstir-
\
Medical Definition of stereotype
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : to repeat without variation stereotyped behavior
2 : to develop a mental stereotype about
stereotype
nounMedical Definition of stereotype (Entry 2 of 2)
: something conforming to a fixed or general pattern especially : an often oversimplified or biased mental picture held to characterize the typical individual of a group
Other Words from stereotype
\
also
stereotypic
\ -ik
\
adjective
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