Synonyms of stale

stale

adjective

ˈstāl 

1

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

• stereotyped
• tired
• hackneyed
• trite
• boring
• shopworn
• old
• banal
• commonplace
• musty
• obligatory
• clichéd
• cliché
• usual
• typical
• timeworn
• threadbare
• hackney
• hack
• cardboard
• tiring
• cobwebby
• well-worn
• conventional
• dull
• moth-eaten
• standard
• dusty
• derivative
• uninspired
• rote
• bromidic
• unimaginative
• ordinary
• platitudinous
• weary
• unoriginal
• dry
• canned
• uninteresting
• drab
• routine
• heavy
• normal
• tiresome
• leaden
• monotonous
• stodgy
• stock
• wearisome
• stuffy
• imitative
• vapid
• wearying
• barren
• humdrum
• ready-made
• arid
• prosaic
• pedestrian
• tame
• tedious
• tried-and-true
• dreary
• numbing
• colorless
• cookie-cutter
• flat
• pedantic
• old-fashioned
• jejune
• ponderous
• ho-hum
• twice-told
• jading
• old hat
• drudging
• platitudinal
• undramatic
• mind-numbing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fresh
• new
• original
• novel
• exciting
• stimulating
• interesting
• involving
• energizing
• animating
• engaging
• absorbing
• engrossing
• unhackneyed
• intriguing
• gripping
• riveting
• strange
• unfamiliar
• invigorating
• enlivening
• unusual
• unknown
• unclichéd
• galvanizing
• uncommon
• unaccustomed
• atypical
• unheard-of
• unprecedented
• extraordinary
• pioneering
• pathbreaking
• trailblazing

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

• boring
• tiring
• old
• slow
• weary
• dull
• dusty
• wearying
• stupid
• dry
• heavy
• uninteresting
• drab
• tiresome
• leaden
• monotonous
• stodgy
• annoying
• wearisome
• stuffy
• irritating
• humdrum
• arid
• tame
• pedestrian
• dreary
• tedious
• numbing
• colorless
• jejune
• flat
• pallid
• sterile
• monochromatic
• ho-hum
• ponderous
• jading
• drudging
• mind-numbing
• soggy
• barren
• blah
• exhausting
• blank
• unimaginative
• uninspiring
• spiritless
• draining
• prosaic
• gray
• unexciting
• prosy
• aseptic
• inanimate
• unrewarding
• dullish
• pedantic
• earthbound
• irksome
• uneventful
• bothersome
• wearing
• vapid
• unspectacular
• ordinary
• unsensational
• tepid
• undramatic
• dispiriting
• demoralizing
• discouraging
• disheartening
• fatiguing
• debilitating
• common
• lumbering
• cumbersome
• plodding
• commonplace
• poky
• enervating
• palling
• unnewsworthy
• suspenseless
• unexceptional
• unsurprising
• pleasureless
• longsome
• enfeebling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• interesting
• involving
• engaging
• absorbing
• engrossing
• gripping
• intriguing
• surprising
• sensational
• riveting
• exciting
• wondrous
• stimulating
• moving
• wonderful
• spectacular
• rousing
• astonishing
• stirring
• entertaining
• amazing
• amusing
• thrilling
• energizing
• electrifying
• animating
• inspiring
• awesome
• exhilarating
• marvelous
• astounding
• charming
• attractive
• fabulous
• breathtaking
• attracting
• touching
• entrancing
• invigorating
• enlivening
• alluring
• poignant
• enchanting
• fascinating
• diverting
• enthralling
• galvanizing
• beguiling
• rip-roaring
• bewitching
• tantalizing
• provocative
• suspenseful
• eye-opening
• captivating
• hair-raising
• spellbinding
• arresting
• mesmerizing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of stale

But their work is less likely to become clichéd, because any stale fixations will always be rinsed and refreshed by the real. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026

To avoid smelling like stale airplanes, pack travel sizes of your everyday fragrances. — Carin Ryan, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026

This is the best time for the fan setting because it can be used to move air throughout the home and pass the stale air through the filter to get rid of the stuffy feeling. — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 24 Aug. 2026

Store with the zipper slightly ajar so the air can circulate; this reduces the risk of any stale odors getting trapped inside. — Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2026