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

Relevance

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

As a matter of fact, this will probably be one of the more boring editions of this column.

— Gary Davenport, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Alice’s viewpoint is boring, and anyone who agonizes about it forever will never get to the interesting parts.

— Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 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

Webflow's free templates are visually bland, so the premium templates are basically required to build an attractive site.

— Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026
Roasting brings out its sweetness and adds depth, transforming it from bland to rich and slightly caramelized.

— Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of bland

Adjective

The media never tired of describing Sea Change as his great breakup record.

— Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
For those who are tired of such narratives, the appeal of the show will be in its interpretive stagecraft, which is impressive and clever.

— Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 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

In the weeks that followed, tethered and untethered surveillance drones became commonplace at campaign rallies and large events at the White House complex.

— Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
The Readiness Gap Advanced AI models, cloud infrastructure and security tools are becoming commonplace.

— Haris Pylarinos, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of commonplace

Adjective

They were illuminated as dull streaks of red, as the group’s flashlights were covered with red tape to reduce the light.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 19 Sep. 2026
Prime Video continues to be one of the most baffling streaming services, from dull originals like Reacher to a revolving catalogue of films that never saw the light of an actual movie theater.

— Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of dull

Adjective

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
Maybe so, but think of how badly Congress had stated those hackneyed ideas.

— Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026

Definition of hackneyed

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“Banal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banal. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of banal

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