stereotype 1 of 2

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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stereotype

2 of 2

verb

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
The digital nomad stereotype persists: feral twenty-somethings earning $2,000 monthly in Thailand. Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025 In educational settings, self-affirmation exercises have been effective in reducing the performance gap caused by stereotype threat, particularly among women in STEM fields. Essence, 9 May 2025
Verb
The result is a stunning look at Black suffering and Black joy, and how a group of people who have been stereotyped as avoiding water actually have a deep and meaningful history with the ocean. Outside Online, 5 Mar. 2025 Employers assume late-career professionals are more expensive due to the additional experience, and some may stereotype them as less adaptable. Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stereotype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stereotype
Noun
  • But without the grounding ballast of a well-articulated sense of self, these jokes are free-floating concepts in search of the context that actually makes sitcom quips memorable.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 28 May 2025
  • Freedom Denim addressed the demand for soft fabrics with several new concepts including a robust line of chenille denim.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • Ending consent decrees part of Trump's larger DOJ revamp Among Trump's allies in the law enforcement ranks, there are cheers among those who argue consent decrees micromanage departments and were overused by the previous administration.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 27 May 2025
  • For example, one engineering company used AI agents to analyze workload distribution and identify areas where resources were being overused.
    Alex Circei, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • This perhaps more than anything else puts the lie to the notion that the administration wants people to follow the law.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 23 May 2025
  • The images of cars lined up to collect food at distribution facilities are etched in our minds—images that reflect the intrinsic good of the American people and underscore the notion that nonprofits are a force multiplier.
    Kendra Davenport, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
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
  • Ever since his rise to power, Trump has served as a vulgarizing agent.
    Leon Neyfakh, Slate Magazine, 2 June 2017
Noun
  • As a child growing up in Greensboro, North Carolina, Elliott Hundley formed his conception of how artists live based on cinematic archetypes of painters and sculptors roughing it in bohemian splendor in converted industrial spaces.
    Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 30 May 2025
  • Cook has previously said that while there’s a popular conception that companies go to China for low labor costs, the reason Apple depends on China is for the skill of its workforce.
    Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • During a recent cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump’s then national security adviser, Mike Waltz, must have been bored.
    Micah Lee, Wired News, 18 May 2025
  • The darkly satirical movie is set on a long-haul flight between England and Australia where the entertainment system fails, and passengers are forced to face the horror of being bored.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025
Noun
  • Russian sources, however, have suggested a third theory: that Portnov might have held compromising material on current Ukrainian officials.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
  • But as hardcore Swift fans know, popular theories don’t always play out in real life.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • After tabling the issue seven weeks ago, a vote was expected on Wednesday on the proposal by the Green Bay Packers to prohibit the play popularized by the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
    Dave Campbell, Twin Cities, 23 May 2025
  • The play popularized by the Eagles has not been banned.
    Brandon Funston, New York Times, 21 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stereotype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stereotype. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

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