1
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest another moralizing tale filled with jejune platitudes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word jejune distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of jejune are banal, flat, inane, insipid, and vapid. While all these words mean "devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character," jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance.

a jejune and gassy speech

When might banal be a better fit than jejune?

While the synonyms banal and jejune are close in meaning, banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy.

a banal tale of unrequited love

Where would flat be a reasonable alternative to jejune?

While in some cases nearly identical to jejune, flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest.

although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat

In what contexts can inane take the place of jejune?

The words inane and jejune are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality.

an inane interpretation of the play

When is insipid a more appropriate choice than jejune?

The words insipid and jejune can be used in similar contexts, but insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest.

an insipid romance with platitudes on every page

When would vapid be a good substitute for jejune?

In some situations, the words vapid and jejune are roughly equivalent. However, vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit.

an exciting story given a vapid treatment

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for jejune
Adjective
  • Farming takes so long and is so boring, some of us said.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The Clark County Fire Department said that tunnel boring operations had been temporarily halted at the site pending an ongoing accident investigation.
    Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • For decades, bartenders have been defaming the Mai Tai, debasing it, making and selling versions of the drink that were childish and incomplex, saccharine and flat.
    Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Although childish and superficial, his renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War doesn’t telegraph a love of peace.
    Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • And when Sam cooks up a truly stupid scheme to make some quick cash, there’s little doubt a heavy like Mickey isn’t going to like it.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2025
  • There's a fine line between stupid and clever, indeed.
    Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • There was no data on frequency, dose, or method of cannabis consumption, and only immature eggs, which are less ideal for reproduction, were available for lab experiments.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2025
  • When immature eggs—known as oocytes, which are eggs that have not yet fully developed to the stage where they can be fertilized—were exposed to THC at levels similar to those detected in patients, researchers observed more frequent chromosome errors.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Without a strict hierarchy or single decision-maker, our process can sometimes be slow, messy, or even tiring.
    Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The film is a mess, opaque in its argument and tiring in its effortful weirdness, and yet in its best moments has a hypnotic pull.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But in recent years, psychologists, sociologists and concerned parents alike have noticed a growing number of young adults who seem caught in this adolescent quicksand — unable or unwilling to take the next step into adulthood.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Advertisement Advertisement Boston Children’s Hospital was home to the first pediatric and adolescent transgender health program in the nation, according to court documents.
    Solcyré Burga, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • During the prelims in Tokyo, Seville had a concerning slow reaction to the starting gun.
    Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Parisian servers may have an undeserved reputation for being slow, but instead of complaining or searching for faster service elsewhere, settle in with a book or newspaper.
    Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • As the consequences of permanent records became clear—blocking access to jobs, housing, and education—states began experimenting with mechanisms to seal or expunge certain convictions, usually for first-time or juvenile offenders.
    Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Unlike natural thinning, large fire-resilient trees are typically high-graded for felling in Jackson, creating tinderboxes of 300 to 500 mostly juvenile trees per acre.
    John P. O’Brien, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Jejune.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jejune. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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