Definition of groanernext
as in cliché
an idea or expression that has been used by many people the play's dialogue featured all of the groaners that seem to be de rigueur for any dysfunctional-family drama

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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 groaner Those pacing blips aren’t the only groaners. Greg Evans, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026 Che laughs about four groaners in a row, looking around sheepishly. Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 15 Dec. 2024 The only possible groaner, a joke about school shootings, clearly worked with the improv audience but, Wood reasoned, needed to come later in Saturday’s set, once the audience had grown to trust him a bit. Wesley Lowery, Washington Post, 1 May 2023 Evidently the authors — and the director, Jack O’Brien — meant to glue the show together with groaners, a gutsy if not entirely successful move. Jesse Green, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2023 Scott performs on the track like a bizarro Young Thug, incapable of wringing any enthusiasm out of his voice, and delivers some egregious groaner punchlines, while Drake continues to burrow into narcissism. Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for groaner
Noun
  • Authorities found a note on Karmelo Anthony's phone with a long list of disturbing racial tropes and slurs about Blacks, whites and Hispanics.
    J.D. Miles, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Tara and Willow were groundbreaking characters at the time, and Tara’s death caused real grief in fans who did not expect the Bury Your Gays trope to appear in this show.
    Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • But most politicians are pretty easily replaced, a truism that Moreno reinforced by going public.
    Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a long-standing truism in the world of physical attacks that defenders need to succeed every time, but attackers need to succeed just once.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In the second game of Monday’s doubleheader, Marmol showed his words weren’t just platitudes, pitching to Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz to start the bottom of the 10th inning with the automatic runner on second and first base open.
    C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Today, Instagram unveiled a refresh of its wordmark, accompanied by the usual bland corporate platitudes these kinds of announcements are always packaged with.
    Aurich Lawson, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Wolff was only the eighth woman to drive a Formula 1 car (four more have done it since); the role, a now-commonplace one that includes driving the simulator during Grand Prix weekends to inform trackside strategy, was created for her.
    Danielle McNally, InStyle, 28 May 2026
  • The videos are often integrated into larger montages of drone strikes, underscoring how commonplace these drones have become for Russian forces.
    Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
Noun
  • The saying comes from the Navy SEALs, a group Cole had become fascinated with through his years around San Diego.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Teachers of science, mathematics and English were expected to include Quranic verses, sayings and traditions attributed to the Prophet Muhammad or other religious messages in their lessons.
    Fatima Faizi, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Then morning would come, with all the banalities that drew them apart.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Of course, when a person live-streams long enough, banality can eventually give way to horror.
    Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Groaner.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/groaner. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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