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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in overuses
to use so much as to make less appealing
Movies have stereotyped the domineering mother-in-law ad nauseam.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of stereotypes
Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Scientific American, 10 June 2026
This includes studying how children develop false stereotypes about who can become a scientist.
—Remy Dou, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
There will be no stereotypes, no tropes.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
Kelly had sent models down the runway wearing anything from a watermelon bra top and matching headdress to a mini dress featuring golliwog embellishments in order to reclaim some of the most offensive stereotypes that were often birthed in the American south.
—Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 2 June 2026
Yet cultural stereotypes continue to portray White athletes as less athletic, less gifted and less deserving of elite status.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
Gay men were portrayed as both predators and prey, feeding into dangerous stereotypes at a time when the community was fighting for survival.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 2 June 2026
Over the last few years, Victoria’s Secret has faced a range of savvy, upstart competitors, shifting views over beauty standards and criticisms over perpetuating unrealistic stereotypes, particularly through its models.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 2 June 2026
Looking at the Other Side While many single moms may be judged a bit harsher for a variety of reasons—often because of stereotypes and clichés—most of the criticism in Mollen’s case was aimed at what was written alongside the images.
—Sarah Bregel, Parents, 2 June 2026
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
Noun
And research suggests such stereotypes aren’t far off.
—Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Scientific American, 10 June 2026
This includes studying how children develop false stereotypes about who can become a scientist.
—Remy Dou, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
There will be no stereotypes, no tropes.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
Kelly had sent models down the runway wearing anything from a watermelon bra top and matching headdress to a mini dress featuring golliwog embellishments in order to reclaim some of the most offensive stereotypes that were often birthed in the American south.
—Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 2 June 2026
Yet cultural stereotypes continue to portray White athletes as less athletic, less gifted and less deserving of elite status.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
Gay men were portrayed as both predators and prey, feeding into dangerous stereotypes at a time when the community was fighting for survival.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 2 June 2026
Over the last few years, Victoria’s Secret has faced a range of savvy, upstart competitors, shifting views over beauty standards and criticisms over perpetuating unrealistic stereotypes, particularly through its models.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 2 June 2026
Looking at the Other Side While many single moms may be judged a bit harsher for a variety of reasons—often because of stereotypes and clichés—most of the criticism in Mollen’s case was aimed at what was written alongside the images.
—Sarah Bregel, Parents, 2 June 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
-
This was a Jean Paul Gualitier wrap that challenged traditional notions of how a top male soccer player should appear, sending the British tabloids into a hysterical spin.—
Sheena McKenzie,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
-
Ancient notions, dating back to Ptolemy, claimed that Africa was surrounded by boiling seas filled with giant creatures, whirlpools, and perpetual darkness.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
2 June 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
-
Lestat justifies his, uh, connection with Gabriella by arguing that vampires transcend petty human concepts like conventional morality.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
7 June 2026
-
The program is bringing temporary retail concepts to vacant and underused commercial storefronts across downtown Atlanta.—
Olivia Wakim,
AJC.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
For instance, if a textbook bores you, try watching a documentary!—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The invasive beetle bores into wood and kills ash trees by eating tissues under the bark.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Users could compare the two and get a window into their own conceptions of the game.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
-
The conservatism that would eventually hobble the daytime soap had its roots in this era, when soap viewers with especially fragile sensibilities had specific conceptions of what topics a soap should cover and made no bones about airing their protests.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
If the search for a large outdoor planter exhausts you—just get a terra-cotta planter.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Apr. 2026
-
As the oil blockade quickly exhausts Cuba’s supply of fuel, triggering a series of lengthy, island-wide blackouts, many here are exhausted and are becoming increasingly vocal about their desire for fundamental changes in Cuba.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stereotypes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stereotypes. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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