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
Desirée can so often come off a bundle of cliches of actresses of a certain age, all narcissism, hedonism and irresponsibility. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 Most coaches would probably answer with some cliche about creating culture, but Sweeney went in a different direction. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2026 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 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
  • Pick up a s’mores kit from reception, claim one of the firepits, and watch your fellow Cape-goers drift back from the beach with sandy feet and tired kids.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2026
  • In an age of endless subscriptions and price hikes, people are sick and tired of paying for access to products rather than owning them.
    — Bee Wertheimer, PC Magazine, 24 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 are, however, exceptions to this truism, which brings me to my brief personal list of best movie adaptations of great literature.
    — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 15 July 2026
  • There’s a truism that all models are wrong, but some are useful.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
Definition of truism
Adjective
  • Many of its engineering solutions would later become commonplace across both high-performance and mainstream vehicles.
    — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • But private‑to‑private supply — in which a private generator sells directly to an industrial or commercial buyer using the grid, a practice that is commonplace across the West — remains rare on the continent.
    — Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of commonplace
Noun
  • The show’s first trailer, which debuted during DC Studios’ Hall H panel, illustrated its commitment to using traditional cop show tropes on a comic book property.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 24 July 2026
  • Some say the line between anti-Zionism and antisemitism can blur when opposition to Israeli policies veers into prejudice against Jewish people, in some cases tapping age-old anti-Jewish tropes about money and power.
    — Dina Kraft, Christian Science Monitor, 22 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 25 Jul. 2026.

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