Synonyms of shibboleth

shibboleth

noun

ˈshi-bə-ləth 

1

as in slogan

an attention-getting word or phrase used to publicize something (as a campaign or product)

we knew that their claim of giving "the best deal in town" was just a shibboleth

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slogan
• banner
• motto
• watchword
• catchphrase
• idiom
• tagline
• cliché
• cry
• maxim
• expression
• catchword
• battle cry
• war cry

2

as in cliché

an idea or expression that has been used by many people

there's a lot of truth in the shibboleth that if you give some people an inch, they'll take a mile

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cliché
• truism
• platitude
• bromide
• trope
• chestnut
• commonplace
• banality
• proverb
• saying
• groaner
• homily
• generalization
• stereotype
• party line
• saw
• conventional wisdom
• routine
• adage
• inanity
• simplification
• generality
• old wives' tale

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• profundity

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shibboleth

Fruity Pebbles have become a new shibboleth in the ongoing feud between The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Demi Engemann and Jessi Ngatikaura Draper. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025

This opens up the possibility that the agency can finally be wrenched away from divisive ideologies and progressive shibboleths and become a streamlined international-development assistance system that truly advances America’s interests. — The Editors, National Review, 5 Feb. 2025

Musk’s willingness to upend auto manufacturing shibboleths has also forced his legacy competitors to seek new efficiencies. — WIRED, 21 Sep. 2023

Johnson’s novella is a shibboleth among a certain kind of reader (and, typically, writer). — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 11 May 2020

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