as in clichés
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
an op-ed piece that's offers nothing but warmed-over chestnuts for solving the city's financial woes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 chestnuts
The streets and shops are adorned with lights, and the smell of freshly roasted chestnuts looms around every corner.
—
Jenna Curcio, InStyle, 21 Jan. 2026
From chestnuts literally roasting on an open fire in the rain to a string quartet raising money for a mission trip decked in Victorian-era clothing, and hot chocolate being sold, the Victorian Christmas in Nevada City has been bringing visitors to this era since 1978.
—Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
But chestnuts provide more vitamin C and may also be a better choice for people looking to limit their fat intake.
—Brandi Jones, Health, 16 Dec. 2025
Key Takeaways Water chestnuts are nutrient-dense vegetables, not nuts.
—Hannah Coakley, Verywell Health, 8 Dec. 2025
Either as a snack or as the first step in making the Chestnut Cake, these roasted chestnuts are a special holiday treat.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2025
Picture chestnuts roasting, holiday tunes setting the soundtrack, and Christmas lights adding to the scene.
—Brittany Anas, Denver Post, 1 Dec. 2025
The hills of their property are stacked with a variety of fruit and nut trees–from apples, pears, avocados and pistachios to lychees, mangoes, pecans and chestnuts.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 25 Nov. 2025
Once upon a time, chestnuts ruled the eastern woodlands of North America, with billions of trees stretching from Maine to Mississippi.
—Todd Plummer, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2025
Jenna Curcio, InStyle, 21 Jan. 2026
From chestnuts literally roasting on an open fire in the rain to a string quartet raising money for a mission trip decked in Victorian-era clothing, and hot chocolate being sold, the Victorian Christmas in Nevada City has been bringing visitors to this era since 1978.
—Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
But chestnuts provide more vitamin C and may also be a better choice for people looking to limit their fat intake.
—Brandi Jones, Health, 16 Dec. 2025
Key Takeaways Water chestnuts are nutrient-dense vegetables, not nuts.
—Hannah Coakley, Verywell Health, 8 Dec. 2025
Either as a snack or as the first step in making the Chestnut Cake, these roasted chestnuts are a special holiday treat.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2025
Picture chestnuts roasting, holiday tunes setting the soundtrack, and Christmas lights adding to the scene.
—Brittany Anas, Denver Post, 1 Dec. 2025
The hills of their property are stacked with a variety of fruit and nut trees–from apples, pears, avocados and pistachios to lychees, mangoes, pecans and chestnuts.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 25 Nov. 2025
Once upon a time, chestnuts ruled the eastern woodlands of North America, with billions of trees stretching from Maine to Mississippi.
—Todd Plummer, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chestnuts
Noun
-
Despite their clear affection for these women, the Dardenne brothers never sugarcoat their characters’ unenviable circumstance or latch onto phony bromides to alleviate our anxiety.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
-
There is a reason why the apocalyptic bromides about the state of print haven’t come to fruition, other than for disposable periodicals and newspapers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
There is so much pleasure to be had in rereading old favorites—and part of the joy is meeting beloved characters, who have been updated or somehow arrive in a new form to resist old tropes and types.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The other one that happens to me more regularly is seeing common tropes or scenarios from the media and tipping them just slightly on their side.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For nine months, Erasmus spent his short nights in a modest dorm and his long days in the print shop, expanding on his collection of proverbs Adagiorum chiliades while Aldus proofread, craftsman carefully laying sets of print and rolling paper through the press.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Nov. 2025
-
Includes quirky facts, adages, advice, quotes and proverbs, as well as articles about mistletoe, bird nests, perennials, timekeeping, recipes and more.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Throughout all of Lowe’s platitudes and boosterism, my attention was rapt, and my mind never wandered.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
18 Dec. 2025
-
After, Sutton Stracke offered platitudes while answering questions about her fractured relationships with ex-assistant Avi Gabay and Garcelle Beauvais.—
Vulture Editors,
Vulture,
14 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
As far back as the Victorian era, exchanging a few banalities was part of a veritable social code—a way of signaling both politeness and boundaries.—
Jeanne Ballion,
Vogue,
27 Dec. 2025
-
Written by Noah Oppenheim, Bigelow’s real-time thriller about the banalities and actualities of a fictional-in-premise-only nuclear attack on the United States is Netflix’s best horse in the race at the Oscars this year.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
So, as media day unfolded Saturday, the coach offered a flow of cliches and sayings.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
17 Jan. 2026
-
The Allen family has several sayings.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Kemp does warn his readers to be skeptical of truisms about the nature of history and the odds of apocalypse.—
Linda Kinstler,
The Atlantic,
1 Dec. 2025
-
But the movie’s soft-hearted underbelly fails to support that reading, and by the time the story finally arrives at its final moments, the unsparing cynicism that supplied its initial lift has been dragged back down to Earth by the weight of bland truisms.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chestnuts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chestnuts. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
