1
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cliche
used or heard so often as to be dull
please find new ways of phrasing your thoughts instead of relying on banal expressions
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of banal
Couldn’t think of something more boring and banal and a waste of time.
—
Todd Spangler, Variety, 14 Sep. 2025
In this scenario, the Kremlin could meet a moment where its resistance to the banal inconveniences of reality, and the economic hardship of its own people, turns toxic.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
The actions had all been engineered to seem so gradual, Evie thought, even banal.
—Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
The very principle of financialization rules even the most mundane exchange of objects in the same manner that the most banal exchange of economic investment and speculation regulates the sign of spiritual autonomy and utopian aspirations that abstraction had initially promised.
—Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for banal
Todd Spangler, Variety, 14 Sep. 2025
In this scenario, the Kremlin could meet a moment where its resistance to the banal inconveniences of reality, and the economic hardship of its own people, turns toxic.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
The actions had all been engineered to seem so gradual, Evie thought, even banal.
—Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
The very principle of financialization rules even the most mundane exchange of objects in the same manner that the most banal exchange of economic investment and speculation regulates the sign of spiritual autonomy and utopian aspirations that abstraction had initially promised.
—Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for banal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banal
Adjective
-
Anyone who suggests Guardiola’s title-winning Manchester City teams were boring should be forced to watch 90 minutes of Mourinho’s Chelsea versus Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool in the mid-2000s and report back.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The details might be boring, but the gathering of money—searching gem dealers, gold dealers—was a full-time job.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Much like how Hailey and Justin Bieber dress, there is something charming about opposing couple style, and allowing each other to follow their individual tastes and passions, without blending into one bland unit.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
5 Oct. 2025
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Jiang and his colleagues complain over video chat about their bland meals, but the people who produce, prepare and deliver the food remain invisible.—
Yangyang Cheng,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Several leaders described the pressure of being both highly visible and easily stereotyped.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
-
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
Adjective
-
On the road, the Murano sidesteps the insipid CVT vibe of the past.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
17 Aug. 2025
-
Callahan’s baritone is rich and full, but the rest of the instrumentation feels insipid.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Oct. 2025
-
If the Jays can take advantage of a tired Seattle squad in the first two games of this contest, their grip on the series could be hard to overcome.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Reeves delivers on all phases of his character arc, making a potentially dull and earnest character soar.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The text is excitable and wayward, while many of the photographs are dramatically dull.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Casualties among Gaza’s police force during the two-year conflict have contributed to a deterioration in security, with looting of aid becoming commonplace.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
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The council’s press releases would become commonplace following that, leading campaigns to elevate complaints about everything from ER to CSI to Big Brother and the Emmy Awards.—
Patrick Hipes,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
With the departure of disgraced co-creator Justin Roiland after the third season, the show has been steadily improving in quality, with a tremendous cast and some very funny done-in-one episodes that don't have the sometimes tiring cynicism of R&M.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
10 Oct. 2025
-
However, some Republicans have spoken out against her and recently reported that some administration officials are tiring of her, suggesting her influence is not unbridled.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Banal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banal. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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