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
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The president used similar bromides in private calls to assuage allies, including Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson, before launching the war in February, according to people familiar with the conversations.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2026
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Other testing by the state’s environmental quality department found elevated levels of heavy metals commonly found in oil field wastewater including barium and bromide.—
Nick Bowlin,
ProPublica,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Wolff was only the eighth woman to drive a Formula 1 car (four more have done it since); the role, a now-commonplace one that includes driving the simulator during Grand Prix weekends to inform trackside strategy, was created for her.—
Danielle McNally,
InStyle,
28 May 2026
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The videos are often integrated into larger montages of drone strikes, underscoring how commonplace these drones have become for Russian forces.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Noun
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The second was that, along with the platitudes about resilience, attendees were unusually honest about the Gulf’s predicament.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
4 June 2026
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Not the word kindness, not the platitudes.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Spain’s success over the past five years has undermined many long-standing political-economic truisms.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
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His deep arsenal gives him a chance to handle a truism of the craft.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Fourth walls are shattered, hoary tropes are dismantled, the body count climbs and a joke gets thrown in about the endless supply of Wayanses ready to keep the franchise going.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
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But in our universe, just over a year ago, Lineker shared an Instagram post about Zionism that featured an emoji of a rat, an antisemitic trope.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
4 June 2026
Noun
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But the saying can also apply in the traditional sense, explaining that favoritism, and biases, are a part of life, society, business and sport, and everyone must find a way to play the hand they are dealt.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
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Age and guile, as the old saying goes, beat youth and skill every time.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Banality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banality. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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