stereotype 1 of 2

Definition of stereotypenext
as in concept
an idea or statement about all of the members of a group or all the instances of a situation the noble savage was a stereotype that appealed to 18th-century intellectuals, who viewed European civilization as decadent and corrupt

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as in to overuse
to use so much as to make less appealing Movies have stereotyped the domineering mother-in-law ad nauseam.

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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 stereotype
Noun
Boys deserve role models who teach respect, not domination, and girls deserve a culture that supports their potential instead of making money from stereotypes. Jodi Bondi Norgaard, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 The child’s space doesn’t conform to stereotypes but still feels warm and full of character. Valentina Lonati, Architectural Digest, 22 Aug. 2026
Verb
Brousson jokingly stereotyped the Waffle House staffers as having active warrants, picking their nose with the spatulas and smoking cigarettes while battling third-degree grease burns. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 June 2026 In their scenes together, Ahmed plays straight man so Khan can go huge, all breezy confidence and street smarts combined as a defense against the countless stereotypes the bearded, accented, proudly Muslim Zulfi must face every day. Joe Reid, Vulture, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for stereotype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stereotype
Noun
  • Georgia is the most recent state to endorse the concept that’s been percolating across the country in recent years.
    Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • For Lush’s head of concepts and collaborations Kalem Brinkworth, the intensity of the group’s fandom was a surprise.
    Kati Chitrakorn, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • According to cleaning expert Scott Schrader, there are any number of cleaning errors that can cause damage or pose potential health risks, from overusing products to poor ventilation.
    Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 20 Aug. 2026
  • While the analogy may be slightly overused, the challenge is that oil still needs to be refined into a useful end product.
    Guy Courtin, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Noun
  • None of these ideas were invented by Instagram or by women alone; the concept of the attention economy dates to the early 1970s, and the notion that no press is bad press has existed since the 19th century.
    Laura Jung, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
  • What’s most difficult about this is the notion it was never supposed to be this way.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • His versions were full-blooded, with lush strings and reasonably large orchestras — and, purists alleged — vulgarizing distortions.
    BostonGlobe.com, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Oct. 2019
Noun
  • Suffice to say, Hansen’s self-image differs greatly from Lance Oppenheim’s conception.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
  • In much of the country, the popular conception of self-driving cars is something between a bumbling idiot and a mechanical death trap.
    Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • As its name suggests, the beetle bores into trees, drilling tunnels to create breeding galleries.
    Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Needless to say, Parker and Stone quickly got bored with the subject, adding a subplot that saw Obama teaming up with his apparent nemesis John McCain to dig a tunnel from the Oval Office to the Smithsonian and steal the Hope Diamond.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • These theories spreading online, one expert says, stem from people’s struggles to find a fulfilling explanation for what has happened.
    Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Heck, for instance, studies how discrepancy theory can be applied to improve large language models and other machine learning systems.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • These platforms are also reportedly targeting college campuses with aggressive marketing, sponsoring college clubs and paying student influencers to popularize them with peers.
    Emily Stack, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The moment helped popularize the style, and the name was later applied to the necklace’s continuous line of diamonds.
    Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Stereotype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stereotype. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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