vanilla

adjective

Definition of vanillanext
as in boring
lacking in distinctive features or qualities a plain vanilla version of a song that's been recorded more times than necessary

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 vanilla The court has ruled that the companies must develop a new product formula that does not include vanilla derived from non-vanilla plant sources within 12 months of the settlement’s finalization, according to the news release. — Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vanilla
  1. boring
  2. neutral
  3. beige
  4. nondescript
  5. featureless
Adjective
  • When talking about the Gerhardt brothers, Hudson, a quarterback, and Bailen, a receiver, first-year Village Christian coach Rand Holdren says there’s never a boring moment when the two are together.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Everton have finished 13th, in the boring but comfortable reassurance of mid-table, in each of the past two seasons.
    — Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • Bold Wallpaper Bold florals, murals, and textured wallpaper were once stripped away in favor of neutral walls.
    — Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The look Duff opted for was breathable and summery, with a focus on neutral tones.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of neutral
Adjective
  • Jessica Alba showcased a formal shoe with beige Manolo Blahnik slingback pumps.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Beside Mila was Laura, 79, in a blue buttoned shirt, beige pants and beige shoes.
    — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of beige
Adjective
  • From the outside, the building looks like a bunker, camouflaged amid a block of nondescript offices.
    — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
  • In the corner of a nondescript office in Sheffield, a city in the north of England, a compact server full of Nvidia chips is whirring away.
    — Billy Perrigo, Time, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of nondescript
Adjective
  • Last year, Hershey prevailed in a lawsuit that claimed Reese's featureless Halloween pumpkins were a consumer letdown.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The largely featureless landscape is crucial because NASA technicians know exactly how much reflected light satellites’ optical instruments should see in the area.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of featureless

Browse Nearby Words

vanguards
vanilla
vanish
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Cite this Entry

“Vanilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vanilla. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vanilla

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vanilla

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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