as in clichés
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 tropes
The theater is known for goofy, campy, original musical theater shows that riotously riff on fairy tales, folklore, TV shows and other familiar cultural tropes.
—
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2026
Fourth walls are shattered, hoary tropes are dismantled, the body count climbs and a joke gets thrown in about the endless supply of Wayanses ready to keep the franchise going.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
There will be no stereotypes, no tropes.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
But his candidate statement twists scripture to cast Jewish people as treacherous and contains antisemitic tropes, a rabbi with the conservative synagogue Mosaic Law Congregation told The Bee.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
In another Amsterdam photo, a pair of identical world globes, recalling Ghirri’s passion for cartography and atlases, rest on matching supports to conjure that oldest of surrealist tropes, a pair of staring eyes.
—James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
The character is an adult who drinks, wears impeccable clothing, and beds women—the familiar Bond tropes.
—Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026
Professional arcs not entirely aside, this is a romantic comedy, full of meet-cutes and related tropes, where love rules; no one’s got it, everyone’s looking for it.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Here, the decor is brighter and airier, leaning into refined beach-chic vibes more than ostentatious island tropes.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 May 2026
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2026
Fourth walls are shattered, hoary tropes are dismantled, the body count climbs and a joke gets thrown in about the endless supply of Wayanses ready to keep the franchise going.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
There will be no stereotypes, no tropes.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
But his candidate statement twists scripture to cast Jewish people as treacherous and contains antisemitic tropes, a rabbi with the conservative synagogue Mosaic Law Congregation told The Bee.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
In another Amsterdam photo, a pair of identical world globes, recalling Ghirri’s passion for cartography and atlases, rest on matching supports to conjure that oldest of surrealist tropes, a pair of staring eyes.
—James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
The character is an adult who drinks, wears impeccable clothing, and beds women—the familiar Bond tropes.
—Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026
Professional arcs not entirely aside, this is a romantic comedy, full of meet-cutes and related tropes, where love rules; no one’s got it, everyone’s looking for it.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Here, the decor is brighter and airier, leaning into refined beach-chic vibes more than ostentatious island tropes.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tropes
Noun
-
Spain’s success over the past five years has undermined many long-standing political-economic truisms.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
-
The play isn’t subtle; the final sequence leans hard on truisms about addiction and trauma, which are affecting but overly explicit.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Sets come in half-dozens and include designs like a soccer ball, a flag, celebratory sayings in the language and a jersey, according to its website.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee
May 15,
Kansas City Star,
15 May 2026
-
Readers share Mother's Day advice, funny sayings and expressions from moms.—
Letters to the Editor,
Washington Post,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The second was that, along with the platitudes about resilience, attendees were unusually honest about the Gulf’s predicament.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
4 June 2026
-
Not the word kindness, not the platitudes.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tropes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tropes. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
