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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 Their activities might seem banal — carrying a bag of groceries filled with fruits and vegetables, or a fluffy white cat — but the sharp color coordination and gussied up models give the images a psychedelic feel. Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025 Often sports litigations begin with dramatic assertions and intriguing legal theories only to end in confidential settlements and banal PR statements. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 Mar. 2025 What’s immediately striking is how quickly and economically its characters are established in medias res, through seemingly banal conversation and hints of individual personality just divergent enough to cause friction. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 9 Mar. 2025 And, in every case, banal commentary is slowly occluding the art, seeping into it in boldface titles or explainers that speak over the sound or cover the image. Namwali Serpell, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for banal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banal
Adjective
  • Camilla told Newsweek that her husband, Linford, 32, works as a tunnel boring machine operator in London.
    Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Take it from this guy, who bought the beautiful Starfield limited-edition Xbox controller, headset, and console wrap for over $200, only to play the game and dump it after 20 boring hours.
    Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Is paradise a bland suburbia with a quaint downtown selling specialty ice cream to be eaten under a nearby gazebo?
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2025
  • The tone is all over the place, whipping back and forth between end-of-the-world seriousness and bland comedy.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • At the time, Latinos were often cast in stereotyped roles with heavy accents and largely denied the opportunity to direct features.
    Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Tragedies can be examined by those outside of its sphere of destruction, but the groundswell of feeling from Mexican viewers and critics is that there was little or no care taken to understand the cultural grief beyond stereotyped spectacle.
    Lucy Ford, TIME, 24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Bored of an increasingly insipid Premier League season?
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The framing, blocking, and overall visual grammar have a condescending air, as if directors have surrendered to some insipid idea of who their audience is.
    Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Robbins was mostly Black, a place built by Black people who were tired of racial conflict in Chicago.
    D. Watkins, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Was Michelle ever tired of using the vibrator all the time in the show?
    Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The additional compounds in matcha dull this effect.
    Helen Carefoot, Verywell Health, 11 Apr. 2025
  • For the rest of us, a real musical comedy is a cause for celebration; most are either too tuneless to be musicals or too dull to be comedies.
    Jesse Green, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Direct trade models that are commonplace in the coffee industry are not so in the tea industry (albeit not unheard of), because of the way the majority of the latter operates through world market auctions and regional export/importers.
    Christopher Marquis, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • But for others, particularly younger Americans, this could be the season of life where receiving wedding invitations is commonplace, and the costs are adding up.
    Nerdwallet, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Ultimately, many on the internet have identified this week as a particularly tiring one for Black K-pop fans.
    Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Of course, going from shows to pickleball classes to after-hours jam sessions at B.B. King’s Blues Club can be tiring.
    DeMarco Williams, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Banal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banal. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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