as in cliché
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
another sitcom based on the banality of roommates with opposite personalities
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of banality
Sometimes, though, this immediacy leads to songwriting that’s literal-minded to the point of banality.
—
Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 20 Feb. 2026
Using the book as a conscious tool of image-building is a more recent phenomenon, however, leading critic Jaime Fuller to lament the banality of such tomes in his 2019 Literary Hub article.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
The film is a harrowing look at the banality of evil in its most dangerous form.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Openness comes from these encounters with banality and consistency.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for banality
Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 20 Feb. 2026
Using the book as a conscious tool of image-building is a more recent phenomenon, however, leading critic Jaime Fuller to lament the banality of such tomes in his 2019 Literary Hub article.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
The film is a harrowing look at the banality of evil in its most dangerous form.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Openness comes from these encounters with banality and consistency.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for banality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banality
Noun
-
The bromide invites teachers to underestimate their students.—
Steven F. Wilson,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
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While these songs might appear to be somewhat straightforward EBM that wear their politics on their latex sleeve, there’s a level of ambiguity at work that moves Kissing Luck Goodbye past its own bromides and into deeper artistic territory.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Or is this commonplace in NBA transactions?—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2026
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In the early 2000s, Sears began to use its website — the new iteration of its catalog — to help pioneer the now-commonplace practices of buying goods online and picking them up in store.—
Domenica Bongiovanni,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The lyrics—elsewhere evocative—wilt dramatically, a slurry of platitudes.—
Linnie Greene,
Pitchfork,
29 Apr. 2026
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Neville is smart enough as a documentarian to leave out platitudes, but also to let access to Michaels’ Maine retreat be a vibe rather than some knockout reveal.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Ever since, intelligence officers have ruefully invoked that truism whenever they’re blamed for a major screwup.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2026
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But, travel experts say, that truism doesn't apply during this tumultuous period.—
ANDREA SACHS THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Gilbert — who seven years ago headlined this venue himself — smoked a cigar and dipped tobacco simultaneously for much of his set, which luxuriated in country-music-concert tropes.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
10 May 2026
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The roles taken by Burić, the grumpy coach, Romeo, who plays a scary janitor, and Löwensohn, who is the academy’s strict yet maternal manager, allowed Chryssos to toy with sports world tropes.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
9 May 2026
Noun
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But my curiosity proved stronger than my nay-saying.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
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Readers share Mother's Day advice, funny sayings and expressions from moms.—
Letters to the Editor,
Washington Post,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Banality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banality. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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