BANAL Synonyms: 144 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'banal' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of banal are flat , inane , insipid , jejune , and vapid . While all these words mean "devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character," banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy. // a banal tale of unrequited love

Q: When might 'flat' be a better fit than 'banal'?

The synonyms flat and banal are sometimes interchangeable, but flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest. // although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat

Q: In what contexts can 'inane' take the place of 'banal'?

Although the words inane and banal have much in common, inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality. // an inane interpretation of the play

Q: When is 'insipid' a more appropriate choice than 'banal'?

While in some cases nearly identical to banal , insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest. // an insipid romance with platitudes on every page

Q: When is it sensible to use 'jejune' instead of 'banal'?

While the synonyms jejune and banal are close in meaning, jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance. // a jejune and gassy speech

Q: When would 'vapid' be a good substitute for 'banal'?

The words vapid and banal can be used in similar contexts, but vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit. // an exciting story given a vapid treatment

banal

adjective

bə-ˈnal

Definition of banal

as in boring

lacking in qualities that make for spirit and character unlike their early work, the band's latest offering is banal and uninspiring

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stereotyped

used or heard so often as to be dull please find new ways of phrasing your thoughts instead of relying on banal expressions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word banal distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of banal are flat, inane, insipid, jejune, and vapid. While all these words mean "devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character," banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy.

a banal tale of unrequited love

When might flat be a better fit than banal?

The synonyms flat and banal are sometimes interchangeable, but flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest.

although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat

In what contexts can inane take the place of banal?

Although the words inane and banal have much in common, inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality.

an inane interpretation of the play

When is insipid a more appropriate choice than banal?

While in some cases nearly identical to banal, insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest.

an insipid romance with platitudes on every page

When is it sensible to use jejune instead of banal?

While the synonyms jejune and banal are close in meaning, jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance.

a jejune and gassy speech

When would vapid be a good substitute for banal?

The words vapid and banal can be used in similar contexts, but vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit.

an exciting story given a vapid treatment

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 banal The pursuit of fame for fame’s sake has become an almost banal pursuit in the attention economy. — Julianna Pillemer, The Conversation, 18 Aug. 2026 What to derive from this sequence beyond a series of banal aphorisms about time passing and memories fading? — Elena Lazic, Variety, 25 July 2026 The YouTube upload was, Ritchie noted, a typically sample-heavy affair from the Brooklyn collective; a banal but reasonable assumption is that the confusing circumstances of the new release result from simple sample clearance issues. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026 Wemby didn’t hesitate, but since English isn’t his first language, his initial response — something banal about being a team player who wants to win a lot of games — came out a bit disjointed. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for banal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for banal

Adjective

Infrastructure inspection is exactly the kind of boring but highly practical application that modern airships excel at, Grossman says.

— Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Oct. 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers won what was, ultimately, a bit of a boring World Series in five games.

— Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of boring

Adjective

Despite their outer appearances and oftentimes stereotyped personalities, the ladies embrace each other’s depths and contradictions.

— Meagan Jordan, VIBE.com, 10 July 2026
This is a directed, stereotyped behavior in which the highest-resolution region of the somatosensory surface is brought to bear on the object requiring the most detailed analysis.

— Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

Definition of stereotyped

Adjective

The few stations left play the same bland pop songs over and over.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 3 Nov. 2026
Honoring the sacrifices of America’s military men and women is noble, but there are better ways to thank them for their service than a bland tribute like this.

— Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of bland

Adjective

On Housewives, story lines grow tired and repetitive, and attempts to shake up the dynamics inevitably fall flat as the show reverts back to a familiar staleness.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2026
Even Trump’s biggest supporters are growing tired of the high prices that his war has caused.

— Daniel W. Drezner, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of tired

Adjective

In the meantime, there’s a lot of unwieldy comic commotion involving a missing corpse, a tweaking, naked Dwight and enough insipid TV sibling bickering to clog the airwaves for a decade.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Otherwise, the defence failed to defend, the midfield got overrun and the attack was so insipid that Wrexham managed just one shot on target — George Dobson’s 35th-minute effort that Konstantinos Mavropanos blocked just in front of the goal line.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of insipid

Adjective

Back then, the solar system was host to an infant star surrounded by a swirling disk of gas and dust in which collisions between bodies called planetesimals — the building blocks of planets — were commonplace.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Rotary phones let users enter numbers themselves, and, at least in American cities, the ability to make local calls by dialling had become commonplace by the nineteen-thirties.

— Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of commonplace

Adjective

Like scoops of an ocean unmarred by humans, quarts of seaweed soup sit next to other flavors like spicy beef and pine nut and soybean, a shade of creamy beige so calming, one glance is enough to effectively absolve the color of its dull reputation.

— Vanessa Anderson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
If your skin's looking a little dull or feeling rough, the best alpha hydroxy acid products might be exactly what your routine is missing.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of dull

Adjective

The hackneyed ruminations on feminine style are punctured by an image of violent female rage.

— Leslie Camhi, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
There’s some hackneyed dialogue, much of it borne by Neeson, who despite his prominence in advertising gets sidelined for most of the running time.

— Dennis Harvey, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of hackneyed

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“Banal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banal. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of banal

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