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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of trope
Press sees this same trend extend to lower back ink, as clients take familiar tropes and give them a twist.
—
Diana Tsui, Footwear News, 22 May 2026
Season one dives headfirst into the age-old romantic trope of fake dating with music student Hannah Wells, who, in true hockey fashion, is often called Wellsy by her love interest, Garrett Graham.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
The result is a fashion movie that takes the art at its center for granted, a work of radical narrative freedom which falls back on last season’s tropes.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
Although the Western genre is an ever-present influence, Grisebach subverts some of its tropes.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for trope
Diana Tsui, Footwear News, 22 May 2026
Season one dives headfirst into the age-old romantic trope of fake dating with music student Hannah Wells, who, in true hockey fashion, is often called Wellsy by her love interest, Garrett Graham.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
The result is a fashion movie that takes the art at its center for granted, a work of radical narrative freedom which falls back on last season’s tropes.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
Although the Western genre is an ever-present influence, Grisebach subverts some of its tropes.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for trope
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trope
Noun
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His deep arsenal gives him a chance to handle a truism of the craft.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
8 May 2026
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Ever since, intelligence officers have ruefully invoked that truism whenever they’re blamed for a major screwup.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield offered an observation that has since become a Washington commonplace.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
18 May 2026
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Or is this commonplace in NBA transactions?—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Noun
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But behind the pomp and platitudes, Putin is also facing Xi in a much weaker position than during his last visit to Beijing in September.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
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Taiwan Beneath all the platitudes, there are still some simmering tensions.—
Selina Wang,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trope.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trope. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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