Synonyms of cliché

cliché 1 of 2

adjective

variants also cliche

as in stereotyped

used or heard so often as to be dull

a cliché tale of lust and betrayal among the fabulously rich

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stereotyped
• tired
• hackneyed
• clichéd
• commonplace
• trite
• boring
• typical
• banal
• shopworn
• hackney
• stale
• obligatory
• timeworn
• weary
• hack
• tiring
• wearying
• musty
• threadbare
• dusty
• well-worn
• barren
• dull
• conventional
• tame
• cobwebby
• derivative
• dry
• usual
• platitudinous
• moth-eaten
• unoriginal
• unimaginative
• uninspired
• tiresome
• bromidic
• rote
• ordinary
• standard
• normal
• monotonous
• heavy
• old
• uninteresting
• tedious
• vapid
• cardboard
• tried-and-true
• imitative
• drab
• pedestrian
• prosaic
• routine
• ready-made
• humdrum
• canned
• stodgy
• wearisome
• pedantic
• dreary
• cookie-cutter
• leaden
• stock
• ponderous
• jejune
• arid
• stuffy
• colorless
• old-fashioned
• numbing
• twice-told
• undramatic
• platitudinal
• ho-hum
• flat
• jading
• old hat
• mind-numbing
• drudging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• new
• original
• novel
• fresh
• exciting
• interesting
• intriguing
• unhackneyed
• involving
• energizing
• stimulating
• strange
• riveting
• engaging
• animating
• unusual
• unclichéd
• engrossing
• atypical
• unfamiliar
• uncommon
• gripping
• absorbing
• unknown
• extraordinary
• unheard-of
• unprecedented
• invigorating
• enlivening
• galvanizing
• unaccustomed
• pioneering
• pathbreaking
• trailblazing

cliché

2 of 2

noun

klē-ˈshā 

variants also cliche

as in generalization

an idea or expression that has been used by many people

try to write a love story without resorting to well-worn clichés

Synonyms & Similar Words

• generalization
• platitude
• truism
• trope
• commonplace
• banality
• bromide
• stereotype
• chestnut
• groaner
• shibboleth
• generality
• homily
• proverb
• party line
• saying
• saw
• adage
• conventional wisdom
• routine
• simplification
• inanity
• old wives' tale

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• profundity

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of cliché

Noun

The danger, however, lies in whether maximizing the profits on this $12 billion purchase drifts the Lakers closer to a luxurious cliche. — Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

What this has led to is mandating employees to start conversations — the current cliche is asking what the client is doing for the rest of the day — that are both intrusive and time-consuming. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026

The Professional is a sly inversion of — and indulgent celebration of — action cliches, made at a time when action movies were ubiquitous but often redundant, featuring a succession of distinctly European stars like Schwarzenegger and Van Damme. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026

Plus, at the risk of sounding cliche, our culture is our weapon. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026