1
as in cliche
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Regardless, with your trusty pulse rifle, blasting through the horde never gets too stale, and the 'bullet-sponginess' some have criticized actually feels right for monsters that are meant to be fearsome.
—
Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025
But what could have been an intricate, interwoven storytelling feat is instead one season's worth of resources spread thin between separate and stale plotlines, much to the dismay of fans eager to see the season that Covid had delayed by a year.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
After two weeks of surviving on biscuits, one daily can of cheese between four men, and a handful of stale pitas, a gas burner finally arrives.
—Eli Sharabi, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
One of the most important parts of that strategy has been reigniting Nike's innovation engine and clearing through stale inventory to make way for new styles.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stale
Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025
But what could have been an intricate, interwoven storytelling feat is instead one season's worth of resources spread thin between separate and stale plotlines, much to the dismay of fans eager to see the season that Covid had delayed by a year.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
After two weeks of surviving on biscuits, one daily can of cheese between four men, and a handful of stale pitas, a gas burner finally arrives.
—Eli Sharabi, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
One of the most important parts of that strategy has been reigniting Nike's innovation engine and clearing through stale inventory to make way for new styles.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stale
Adjective
-
Anyone who suggests Guardiola’s title-winning Manchester City teams were boring should be forced to watch 90 minutes of Mourinho’s Chelsea versus Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool in the mid-2000s and report back.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The details might be boring, but the gathering of money—searching gem dealers, gold dealers—was a full-time job.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Several leaders described the pressure of being both highly visible and easily stereotyped.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
-
At the time, Latinos were often cast in stereotyped roles with heavy accents and largely denied the opportunity to direct features.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
About 1,300 people from around the world -- ranging from children as young as 12 years old to elite athletes -- participated in the race.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The last one – the last out of a game, say, or the last victory in a playoff series – is considered the hardest one to achieve, if old adages and the like are to be believed.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Oct. 2025
-
If the Jays can take advantage of a tired Seattle squad in the first two games of this contest, their grip on the series could be hard to overcome.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
With the departure of disgraced co-creator Justin Roiland after the third season, the show has been steadily improving in quality, with a tremendous cast and some very funny done-in-one episodes that don't have the sometimes tiring cynicism of R&M.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
10 Oct. 2025
-
However, some Republicans have spoken out against her and recently reported that some administration officials are tiring of her, suggesting her influence is not unbridled.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The story revolves around this character in ways that feel hackneyed and forced.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
This is actually better than some of the hackneyed rom-coms Reiner muddled through, a coming-of-age story about two kids’ pseudo-love story from grade school through middle school.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
If the weather’s not quite suited for alfresco hangs, a subterranean level has an indoor pool, plus a sauna for relaxing your weary muscles.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Sandler in particular is already generating Oscars hype with his performance as Clooney’s weary, longtime manager, Ron.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Losing is so deeply ingrained in the fabric of this franchise that every slow start has the potential to snowball.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
-
His administration has seen some success; inflation in Argentina eased this year to the slowest monthly pace in more than four years.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stale. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share