variants
also cliches
as in tropes
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clichés
Their love scene in the rain, while obviously less visually spectacular than in the film, plunges headlong into romantic cliches that manage to get the job done despite their obviousness.
—
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
For an attorney’s brand to really stand out in the marketplace, their billboard has to go beyond old cliches.
—Adam M. Rosen, thehustle.co, 12 Dec. 2025
The first scene with Mackenzie has Samus rescuing him from a horde of aliens, followed quickly by an escort mission — one of the most agonizing cliches in gaming.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2025
The drama veers from the usual sports-movie cliches by exploring mental health and eating disorders with a dose of psychological horror.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
New novels are rightly praised for breaking with traditional forms and criticized for turning to stale formulas and cliches.
—Nathaniel Moore
september 10, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2025
Just really not going to sit here and give some cliches.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 6 Sep. 2025
Of course, some cliches are nothing but lazy thinking.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2025
In fact, natural is the word to sum up Chapman, a host who, like Artie Bucco, could be described as warm and convivial, who rarely fails to ask piercing questions devoid of cliches and has a relaxed but authoritative style.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2025
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
For an attorney’s brand to really stand out in the marketplace, their billboard has to go beyond old cliches.
—Adam M. Rosen, thehustle.co, 12 Dec. 2025
The first scene with Mackenzie has Samus rescuing him from a horde of aliens, followed quickly by an escort mission — one of the most agonizing cliches in gaming.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2025
The drama veers from the usual sports-movie cliches by exploring mental health and eating disorders with a dose of psychological horror.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
New novels are rightly praised for breaking with traditional forms and criticized for turning to stale formulas and cliches.
—Nathaniel Moore
september 10, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2025
Just really not going to sit here and give some cliches.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 6 Sep. 2025
Of course, some cliches are nothing but lazy thinking.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2025
In fact, natural is the word to sum up Chapman, a host who, like Artie Bucco, could be described as warm and convivial, who rarely fails to ask piercing questions devoid of cliches and has a relaxed but authoritative style.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clichés
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
-
The sample is going to be used to make generalizations about everybody, Turow said, by using complex statistical modeling and artificial intelligence.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Walz said in a press conference on Thursday that his office is working to bring those involved in fraud in Minnesota to justice, but said it can be done without generalizations about a whole group of people.—
Tesfaye Negussie,
ABC News,
8 Dec. 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
-
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
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
-
The image of silverhewn anchors stuck, and Diodorus’ story emphazises so many of the classic Phoenician/Carthaginian stereotypes told by their later enemies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The class is breaking stereotypes about water aerobics.—
Nicky Zizaza,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
These films explore those bonds without ever resorting to bromides or mawkishness.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Clichés.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clich%C3%A9s. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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