cliché 1 of 2

adjective

variants also cliche
Definition of clichénext
as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull a cliché tale of lust and betrayal among the fabulously rich

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cliché

2 of 2

noun

klē-ˈshā How to pronounce cliché (audio)
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

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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 cliché
Noun
Brousson is an Austin resident and often posts satirical videos teasing Texas cliches and generalizations. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 June 2026 Sarandon brings a welcome unpredictability to Sylvia, complicating a character who might otherwise have curdled into cliche. — Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 16 June 2026 Unlike pumpkin spice, which has settled in to be such a seasonal cliche that people feel the need to defend it, pickle is still crisp and new. — Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 14 June 2026 In this section, artists Wendy Red Star, Omar Victor Diop, Yuki Kihara, Frida Orupabo, and Dimakatso Mathopa mine the tropes and cliches borne of these images, and through satire and recontextualization, offer works that center their own empowerment and subjectivity. — The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for cliché
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliché
  1. stereotyped
  2. generalization
  3. tired
  4. platitude
  5. hackneyed
  6. truism
  7. commonplace
  8. trope
Adjective
  • Despite their outer appearances and oftentimes stereotyped personalities, the ladies embrace each other’s depths and contradictions.
    — Meagan Jordan, VIBE.com, 10 July 2026
  • This is a directed, stereotyped behavior in which the highest-resolution region of the somatosensory surface is brought to bear on the object requiring the most detailed analysis.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Definition of stereotyped
Noun
  • Some called out the statement for making sweeping generalizations about Phish fans, especially when most of the crowd was all kind vibes.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2026
  • Everything from the environments to the tasks to the specific objects being manipulated can be carefully selected to show just what’s possible if all this could be sufficiently generalized—but that generalization is not yet proven.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026
Definition of generalization
Adjective
  • The brand is winning over tired consumers who already reach for something sweet before bed by combining the comfort of a late-night treat with ingredients designed to support a better sleep routine.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 17, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 July 2026
  • Some get the number of dollars tied to their age (this used to be the case for Ollie and his brother, Owen, until their mom, Rebecca, got tired of them fighting over their disparate payouts) and others much more.
    — Erika Janes, Curbed, 17 July 2026
Definition of tired
Noun
  • As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, some of America’s most visible business leaders are doing more than offering patriotic platitudes.
    — Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • There’s passable yet indistinguishable music in this exact style dropping every day, but the difference with Chicago’s Fatso is that his lyrics feel like scraps of conversations that communicate his hurt without leaning on platitudes.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 24 June 2026
Definition of platitude
Adjective
  • Maybe so, but think of how badly Congress had stated those hackneyed ideas.
    — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • While not exactly a feminist screed, the script grants nary a free pass to the glut of hackneyed gender conventions in the golden-age canon without at least cracking a joke.
    — Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of hackneyed
Noun
  • There’s a truism that all models are wrong, but some are useful.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
  • This is certainly true—and a rather banal truism.
    — The Atlantic, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Definition of truism
Adjective
  • In Crimea, where Ukrainian strikes on supply routes and infrastructure have become commonplace, gasoline is especially scarce, and power outages are routine.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 15 July 2026
  • Technology has now reached the stage where small-scale, portable X-ray devices are commonplace on Earth.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of commonplace
Noun
  • But every turn back to genre tropes has brought out new depths from the author.
    — Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
  • With that old trope — that beauty is in the eye of the beholder?
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026
Definition of trope

Browse Nearby Words

cleverness
cliché
clichéd
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Cite this Entry

“Cliché.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clich%C3%A9. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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