1
as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull
viewers were bored by the stale story lines of the new crop of sitcoms
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest
the sequel is basically a stale remake of the first movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stale
Furniture that has been in the same layout for years will feel stale to guests, but more importantly, likely won't serve you anymore.
—
Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Mar. 2026
This is a hygiene concern and can affect the taste of your morning brew, leaving coffee bitter or stale.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026
Scenes meant to convey fondness and dramatic weight instead flatten into thoughtless repetition, as the series’ decades-long dissection of the final girl reveals itself as a stale brand asset.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Feb. 2026
Clearly, a majority of Americans reject the stale mindset of last century’s thinking peddled by some that oil and natural gas production and environmental stewardship are not compatible.
—Edward Cross, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stale
Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Mar. 2026
This is a hygiene concern and can affect the taste of your morning brew, leaving coffee bitter or stale.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026
Scenes meant to convey fondness and dramatic weight instead flatten into thoughtless repetition, as the series’ decades-long dissection of the final girl reveals itself as a stale brand asset.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Feb. 2026
Clearly, a majority of Americans reject the stale mindset of last century’s thinking peddled by some that oil and natural gas production and environmental stewardship are not compatible.
—Edward Cross, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stale
Adjective
-
Kelly Enders-Tharp, a three-time surrogate and education and experience specialist at Growing Generations, explains that surrogates are often stereotyped, or that their backgrounds are misrepresented.—
Kris Ann Valdez,
Parents,
13 Feb. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Mann might have argued that there is not only a moral but also an artistic virtue in being outwardly boring and banal.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
-
More so, mines are too boring to compete for budget.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The fanbase was just as tired of all the turnover, if not more so.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The Wildcats looked fresh and feisty from the moment the ball was tipped, perhaps taking advantage of UCF's tired legs following its second-round overtime win over Cincinnati, and roaring to a 35-8 lead over the first 13 minutes of the game.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Jana Kostelic, Croatia’s 19-year-old skiing sensation, becomes the second youngest woman to win the overall World Cup title.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Brake gently as needed - Brake normally if the vehicle has anti-lock brakes and pump brakes gently if in an older vehicle.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Wise knew that these hackneyed tools would get him nowhere.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Few parents can follow the hackneyed wisdom of living in the moment.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And adopting the mantle of cultural curmudgeon can get tiring.—
Anna Holmes,
The Atlantic,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Riko Ueki headed Japan's opening goal, her fourth of the tournament, before Maika Hamano, Aoba Fujino and Kiko Seike all scored against a tiring Vietnamese defense.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Something weary about his body too.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Its 1959 Googie-style sign pierces the sky, a beacon of hope for weary road-trippers cruising this achingly lonely stretch of highway.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Experiencing that life cycle of knowing where my food comes from and watching my uncles do the butchering and then eating it the same day through slow roasting was really impactful for me as a kid.—
Claire Salinda,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Perhaps both movements could have animated each other; perhaps the subsequent fight for women’s suffrage would have been less sporadic and slow.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stale. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
