as in cliché
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
a screenplay that reads like a catalog of mystery-thriller tropes the narrative trope of two rival characters falling in love by the end of the story
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 trope
The familiarity of that trope and the accompanying maze of coding in toxic tech culture movies makes the final act a bit pedestrian, even with the big reveal of a surprise connection between two key characters.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
Manuel also jangles this apparent order with the striking visual trope of disorienting disproportions of scale—figures appearing unexpectedly small or large in the course’s expanses.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Or play with that trope with the other transformations.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, government budget proposals and strategy documents now read like Truth Social posts, replete with online tropes.
—Donald Moynihan, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trope
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
Manuel also jangles this apparent order with the striking visual trope of disorienting disproportions of scale—figures appearing unexpectedly small or large in the course’s expanses.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Or play with that trope with the other transformations.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, government budget proposals and strategy documents now read like Truth Social posts, replete with online tropes.
—Donald Moynihan, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trope
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trope
Noun
-
What’s happening now underscores that truism.—
Dan Walters,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Mayors of other county cities have recently validated that truism.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The most commonplace and the most concerning, as a consequence, come by way of phishing campaigns.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The 1945 War Brides Act largely diverged from these previous measures, helping to dismantle the Asian exclusion made commonplace in the 19th and early 20th centuries.—
Anna Storti,
The Conversation,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Google is famous for dodging questions by reciting platitudes on its calls.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Too often, sustainability messaging swings between vague platitudes and overwhelming detail.—
Jeff Fromm,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trope.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trope. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
