banality

noun

bə-ˈna-lə-tē How to pronounce banality (audio)
Definition of banalitynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 banality But together, the whole is blander than the sum of its parts—a subtle banality humans can often implicitly sense. — Sam MacDonald, Scientific American, 29 June 2026 Communion does him no favors, though, mostly in its sheer banality. — Literary Hub, 25 June 2026 Here, Laura, a magazine writer in London, drifts through old friendships, failed romances, and the gothic banalities of family life. — Air Mail, 20 June 2026 One effect of this austerity and repression is to focus attention on Albee’s language, with its slippery banalities and barbs. — Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for banality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banality
  1. bromide
  2. commonplace
  3. platitude
  4. truism
  5. trope
  6. saying
Noun
  • The fire contained compounds from more than two dozen chemical families, including dangerous amounts of bromide, a naturally occurring element that can irritate the skin and mucus membranes.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 29 June 2026
  • The bromide has been debunked, but there is power — and delight — in making coffee shop drinks at home.
    — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 25 June 2026
Definition of bromide
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of commonplace
Noun
  • At last week’s meeting, though, Warsh spoke largely in platitudes and generalizations.
    — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Leaders must understand grief's unique, individual nature, avoiding assumptions or platitudes.
    — Mena Mirhom, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of platitude
Noun
  • But most politicians are pretty easily replaced, a truism that Moreno reinforced by going public.
    — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a long-standing truism in the world of physical attacks that defenders need to succeed every time, but attackers need to succeed just once.
    — Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of truism
Noun
  • Its real interest, though, seems to lie beyond both DC Universe lore and the procedural tropes of the rural murder investigations that occupy most of its runtime.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Their emotional appeals drew on longstanding cultural tropes that cast trans and gender-diverse people as deviant or dangerous, amplifying public anxieties about trans rights, despite a lack of evidence for such claims.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of trope
Noun
  • Teachers of science, mathematics and English were expected to include Quranic verses, sayings and traditions attributed to the Prophet Muhammad or other religious messages in their lessons.
    — Fatima Faizi, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Personalize the labels with sweet sayings, their initials, or even anniversary dates to commemorate the occasion.
    — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of saying

Browse Nearby Words

banalities
banality
bananas
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Cite this Entry

“Banality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banality. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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