stereotypes 1 of 2

plural of stereotype
as in notions
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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stereotypes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of stereotype
as in overuses
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 stereotypes
Noun
One of the study’s most notable findings is that 96% of respondents want to see multiple generations represented on screen, largely because doing so reflects real-life relationships and helps break down stereotypes about age. Dominique Fluker, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Each one functions like a coarse grain of sand, eroding the certainties and stereotypes that harden racial discourse. Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 Known for his multifaceted career in television, film, stand-up and more, Lopez has constantly embraced his heritage and shattered stereotypes. Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026 What’s more, the racial dynamics were deeply uncomfortable, with the heels often being played by people of color portraying racial stereotypes. Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026 It is considered to be a quintessential question asked to men to understand their perspectives on female stereotypes, comparing movie star Ginger to girl next door Mary Ann. Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026 Soon after those 2011 protests, Brand Modi was carefully marketed on television channels and burgeoning social media platforms as the redemptive opposite of the images, associations, and stereotypes attached to the corrupt and feckless system. Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026 The artist Betye Saar, known for making three-dimensional art that addresses stereotypes about Black identity and women, has died just days before her 100th birthday. Brittney Melton, NPR, 29 July 2026 The singer has become known for performances that subvert stereotypes and expectations related to American cowboy mythology. Bryan West, USA Today, 22 July 2026
Verb
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 The Coalition for Faith and Media, in partnership with HarrisX, recently launched a research study that found 70% of Americans believe Hollywood stereotypes faith, while 82% say film and TV should prioritize portraying more accurate and complex portrayals of faith and religion. Antonio Ferme, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026 But while working mom and trad wife stereotypes reign online and in popular culture, many moms fall somewhere in between those two tropes. Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2025 These words have different meanings in the context of AAVE, some say, and using them in a way that appropriates or stereotypes certain people groups strips away the importance of the original definitions. Mia Thurow, jsonline.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stereotypes
Noun
  • What happens after that is committed to the good common sense of the client who usually leaves that office with only vague notions about what has been done so far and what needs to be done in the future.
    Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Right’s multiculturalism Meanwhile, the American right was increasingly united less by biological notions of race and more by opposition to multiculturalism, feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, immigration and liberalism.
    Eladio Bobadilla, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • That’s important, since many people make the mistake—both in the gym and daily life—of shrugging their shoulders up to their ears, which overuses the upper traps and elevates the scapula.
    Jenny McCoy, SELF, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • That shift also creates opportunities for creators to think beyond individual posts and toward characters, concepts, series, and intellectual property that can travel across platforms and screens.
    Novika Ishar, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Another startup is expected to launch soon, with two additional concepts currently in development.
    Shelley Simpson, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The caterpillar bores into the stem through a tiny hole and tunnels inside the plant destroying tissue.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 17 June 2026
  • For instance, if a textbook bores you, try watching a documentary!
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Are such dichotomous conceptions of the novel mutually exclusive?
    Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 8 July 2026
  • The thread of citizen rights and responsibilities weaves through each of these, uniting evolving conceptions of freedom, self-government, and individual achievement from the nation’s past through to its present.
    The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • That’s because even ordinary winds – and far worse, storms and earthquakes – cause tall buildings to sway, which ruins people’s concentration, wrecks their mood, and even exhausts them.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 July 2026
  • Watching this scene, and much of the film, exhausts me.
    Jenny Odell, Longreads, 2 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Stereotypes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stereotypes. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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