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
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Recent Examples of stale
For the record, Raja refuses to buy the stale debate, sometimes raised by pizza fanatics, that South Florida water can’t flavor the crust like New York water can.
—
Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 17 May 2025
From unmonitored file sharing and stale sessions to malicious extensions and lingering employee access, these vulnerabilities can quietly expose sensitive data and leave the door open for bad actors.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
But the set-up soon grows stale and Deborah starts drinking too much, causing Ava to worry about her boss’ wellbeing.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 29 May 2025
Most of the home page is just stale, alleged fact checks carried over from the wildfire page.
—Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stale
Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 17 May 2025
From unmonitored file sharing and stale sessions to malicious extensions and lingering employee access, these vulnerabilities can quietly expose sensitive data and leave the door open for bad actors.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
But the set-up soon grows stale and Deborah starts drinking too much, causing Ava to worry about her boss’ wellbeing.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 29 May 2025
Most of the home page is just stale, alleged fact checks carried over from the wildfire page.
—Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stale
Adjective
-
Corner infielders Carlos Santana (1B, CLE): The definition of boring and solid.—
Owen Poindexter,
New York Times,
13 June 2025
-
Much happens in the sixth episode, but most of it is pretty boring like the rest of this season.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
Adjective
-
Several leaders described the pressure of being both highly visible and easily stereotyped.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
-
Their negative stereotyped reputation seems to follow them like ageism follows older employees or sexism follows female employees.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Sculpting a modern tale about a porcelain company that’s 250 years old has a lot to do with understanding how younger generations come together, dine and entertain.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
17 June 2025
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International students make up about 27% of the student body at the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
The Panthers survived an Aleksander Barkov delay of game penalty and McDavid slaloming through tired penalty killers only to be turned away by Bobrovsky’s stomach snow angel.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2025
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My therapist buffs and moisturizes my tired skin with nutrient-rich seaweed body polish and a firming mask before laying shiver-inducing strands of detoxifying fresh seaweed across my back.—
Katie Nanton,
Travel + Leisure,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
The 35-year-old started 22 of the 24 games Cronenworth missed with a fractured rib and was clearly tiring at the end, going 3-for-30 in his final nine starts.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 June 2025
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Bradley was clearly tiring, having struggled at times defensively in the second half.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
12 May 2025
Adjective
-
This hackneyed stance has turned his concert performances shrill and hollow.—
Armond White,
National Review,
28 May 2025
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Yet these hackneyed qualities are minor aspects of a production that otherwise can be eye-opening and newly invigorating.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Today, Knight sounds less like a rap-world villain and more like a weary prophet, but still fierce in conviction.—
Danielle Bacher,
People.com,
13 June 2025
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The squad then start the session with a passing drill where the coaches shout and clap constantly, inspiring energy to any weary limbs.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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The music is, for the most part, quiet and slow, often hovering at the edge of silence.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
23 June 2025
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Repeated waxing weakens follicles, making hair grow in finer and slower over time.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stale. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.
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