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
Native American artists such as Charlene Teters and Jason Lujan have used racialized mascots in their own multimedia projects, laying bare their underlying stereotypes, as a way of excising them of their dehumanizing power. — Sonia K. Katyal, BostonGlobe.com, "The sudden rush of vulgar trademarks," 23 June 2018 So, the series can really explore what happens when a bunch of women are forced to truly play into their greatest stereotype to succeed. — refinery29.com, "Glow Season 2 Review: There’s No Sophomore Slump Here," 21 June 2018 But the movie also provoked a giant backlash from the middle-class black community, who were incensed by its ghetto stereotypes and glamorization of the drug economy. — J.r. Jones, Chicago Reader, "Superfly rolls back the clock on African-American movie heroes," 21 June 2018 But illness reduces me to a sort of old ancient stereotype of the ailing ghostly white woman and that happens to be a fashionable American aesthetic. — Amanda Shapiro, Bon Appetit, "The Healthyish Drink of the Summer is Here," 21 June 2018 Richard Wright was not alone among critics who saw Hurston’s celebration of the black folk as a capitulation to racist stereotypes of black people. — Emily Bernard, The New Republic, "Zora Neale Hurston’s drive to tell the story of the slave trade’s last survivor," 19 June 2018 Hollywood’s first black star, Stepin Fetchit, fitted the stereotype of the slow, sly, shuffling Negro. — Olivia B. Waxman, Time, "The 'Pressure to Make Good for Your Whole People' and the Story Behind SuperFly," 15 June 2018 Participants told me how these interactions shifted their negative cultural stereotypes of the other side. — Benedict Robin, Washington Post, "Why everyone failed to predict the leftist-Islamist alliance that won Iraq’s 2018 elections," 7 June 2018 But the Daily Mail went further and displayed more prejudice, playing on stereotypes of African Americans. — Bard Wilkinson, CNN, "Who will walk Meghan Markle down the aisle, if not her father?," 15 May 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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Learn More about stereotype
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
Last Updated
14 Aug 2018
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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