STALE Synonyms: 211 Similar and Opposite Words

stale

adjective

ˈstāl

Definition of stale

as in stereotyped

used or heard so often as to be dull viewers were bored by the stale story lines of the new crop of sitcoms

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in boring

causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest the sequel is basically a stale remake of the first movie

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 stale May 21 – June 20 Something about your usual routine may start feeling stale. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 20 Sep. 2026 To revive stale bread, moisten the crust, wrap in foil, and heat in a 300°F oven for 10–15 minutes. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2026 This terror grows familiar but not stale; the reader is allowed to live within it almost calmly and thus catch glimpses of other forces in the darkness. — Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026 But its past horror shows on offense, especially in 2023, continue to brand its reputation as stale, like a piece of chewing gum after 10 minutes. — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stale

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stale

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

Adjective

Despite its tranquil reputation, knitting is anything but boring.

— Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026
On the North Side, a site is being prepped for the digging of an access tunnel 70 feet in diameter into which a giant boring machine will begin tunneling 15 miles under and along our three rivers.

— Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of boring

Adjective

Getting camera-ready Crawford never tired of redecorating her house throughout her 26 years there and had a long collaborative relationship with decorator William Haines.

— Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026
As such, the group designed this high-tech salve to revive tired skin on a cellular level, but also with a little mood boost.

— Jenny Berg, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of tired

Adjective

But after a while, the lack of grounding gets tiring, as various supernatural shenanigans appear to be determined more by plot convenience than anything else.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
The repetition can grow tiring, but that frustration is precisely the point.

— Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of tiring

Adjective

There’s some hackneyed dialogue, much of it borne by Neeson, who despite his prominence in advertising gets sidelined for most of the running time.

— Dennis Harvey, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
Maybe so, but think of how badly Congress had stated those hackneyed ideas.

— Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026

Definition of hackneyed

Adjective

From $4 gas and 7% mortgage rates to surging airfares, the Iran war is significantly raising the cost of living for inflation-weary consumers ahead of the midterm elections.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Popular at American Chinese or Cajun-style Chinese restaurants, the sticky-sweet chicken is the utter definition of delicious, luring weary shoppers into food courts to find refuge from the bubblegum pink sweatpants and ripped denim.

— Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of weary

Browse Nearby Words

stalags

stale

stalemate

See all Nearby Words

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“Stale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stale. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of stale

adjective

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