as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull
the film's clichéd story of an underdog who overcomes insurmountable odds to win
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Recent Examples of clichéd
There are only states of being — all stories have become obsolete and cliched, and have resolved themselves.
—
John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
In one rather cliched moment, Springsteen is buying his first new car.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Alongside him, the scared but somehow quietly reassuring presence of Ferrera leavens the potential for cliched action-hero theatrics by giving the film a rare but for once very real sense of peril.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2025
Zod’s rages sound like an angry man threatening someone from the other side of a parking lot, not the cliched snarling of too many comic-book movie villains.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 20 Aug. 2025
The Oscar winner takes a cliched role of the disgraced loner and gives a low-key, effective performance, relying on glances not glares to get him over the finish line.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 25 June 2025
The confident smile the until then timid Giulio wears on his face as a result is equally cliched.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 25 May 2025
Crossing off cliched character traits like orders on her waitressing pad, Lori is the daughter of a disgraced widow cop.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
But historically, exactly that distant, cliched view of the race is the point on which many hundreds of horsemen and their athletes have made a mistake.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
In one rather cliched moment, Springsteen is buying his first new car.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Alongside him, the scared but somehow quietly reassuring presence of Ferrera leavens the potential for cliched action-hero theatrics by giving the film a rare but for once very real sense of peril.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2025
Zod’s rages sound like an angry man threatening someone from the other side of a parking lot, not the cliched snarling of too many comic-book movie villains.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 20 Aug. 2025
The Oscar winner takes a cliched role of the disgraced loner and gives a low-key, effective performance, relying on glances not glares to get him over the finish line.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 25 June 2025
The confident smile the until then timid Giulio wears on his face as a result is equally cliched.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 25 May 2025
Crossing off cliched character traits like orders on her waitressing pad, Lori is the daughter of a disgraced widow cop.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
But historically, exactly that distant, cliched view of the race is the point on which many hundreds of horsemen and their athletes have made a mistake.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clichéd
Adjective
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Later, Lenape artist Joe Baker places cutout photographs of his ancestors over the stereotyped images of Native Americans found in the wallpaper.—
Tom McDonough,
Artforum,
1 Nov. 2025
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Several leaders described the pressure of being both highly visible and easily stereotyped.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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That includes fewer tired drivers on overnight routes, more predictable freight movement and potentially safer highways over time.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
15 Jan. 2026
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The tired hosts will be delighted.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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This is actually better than some of the hackneyed rom-coms Reiner muddled through, a coming-of-age story about two kids’ pseudo-love story from grade school through middle school.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
16 Dec. 2025
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On the first real mission in the jungle region of Fury Green, Samus encounters a Galactic Federation technician named Myles Mackenzie who, from his reveal in the pre-release previews, became a sticking point for fans due to his hackneyed sidekick trappings.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
2 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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To Stewart, the summary feels trite.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
10 Jan. 2026
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Clown in a Cornfield may lean into its YA novel background; by the end, even the trite love triangle gets a welcome subversion.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clichéd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clich%C3%A9d. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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