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 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 This is certainly true—and a rather banal truism. — The Atlantic, 16 June 2026 Apparently the weather is just too banal. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for banal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for banal

Adjective

Jasmine[‘s character] has a husband, a daughter, a boring life sometimes.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
These recipes for muffins, snack mix, energy balls and more are proof that eating better doesn’t have to be boring, regardless of age.

— Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 5 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

Instead, people talked generously, in bland motivational patter, about the potential of the scene.

— Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Swap a bland look for a bold color, switch up the dominant neutral, or lean into a new metallic finish to complement other hardware in the room.

— Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of bland

Adjective

Plus, while the pill improved certain sleep metrics, people who took it didn’t report being any less tired during the day.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Sep. 2026
All the locals are tired after another demanding [tourism] season, but at the same time, there is a feeling of optimism.

— Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of tired

Adjective

The team put in one of their most insipid performances of the campaign that day — a first real sign the wheels may be coming off for Daniel Farke.

— Beren Cross, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
The ending produces more questions that the frustratingly insipid storytelling doesn’t feign to care about.

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of insipid

Adjective

In addition to sharing that expertise with Mexican cartels, the use of drones in Colombia has also become commonplace among FARC dissident groups.

— Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
Sponsored telecasting means free, over-the-air telecasts—the kind that were commonplace before cable television, when people placed antennas on their televisions or roofs to pick up signals from a handful of channels.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of commonplace

Adjective

Coach Sean McVay’s strategy of arriving the day before the game backfired and resulted in a dull performance by a team featuring some of the NFL’s biggest stars.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
If Khrzhanovsky’s goal was re-creating social and cultural conditions to capture drama at its purest, then the result merely proves Hitchcock’s refrain that drama is life with dull bits cut out.

— Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of dull

Adjective

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

— Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
While not exactly a feminist screed, the script grants nary a free pass to the glut of hackneyed gender conventions in the golden-age canon without at least cracking a joke.

— Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026

Definition of hackneyed

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“Banal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banal. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of banal

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