as in imitative
using or marked by the use of something else as a basis or model
critics faulted the novel for having a painfully unoriginal plot
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Recent Examples of unoriginal
Other artists copied his style, which at first the artist considered flattering but later saw it as unoriginal as his popularity grew.
—
Charlotte Observer,
14 Apr. 2026
This makes your home feel intentional and personal instead of sterile and unoriginal.
—
Ashlyn Needham,
The Spruce,
8 Jan. 2026
This seems a rather unoriginal name to be chosen by a woman whose talent lay with words.
—
Literary Hub,
9 Dec. 2025
In sales, trust is currency, and nothing burns trust faster than sounding unoriginal, lazy or shady.
—
Don Markland,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unoriginal
Charlotte Observer,
14 Apr. 2026
This makes your home feel intentional and personal instead of sterile and unoriginal.
—
Ashlyn Needham,
The Spruce,
8 Jan. 2026
This seems a rather unoriginal name to be chosen by a woman whose talent lay with words.
—
Literary Hub,
9 Dec. 2025
In sales, trust is currency, and nothing burns trust faster than sounding unoriginal, lazy or shady.
—
Don Markland,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unoriginal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unoriginal
Adjective
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The word is likely imitative (onomatopoeic), echoing the sound of heavy breathing during sleep.
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Since then, whenever new tools to crank out communications have become available, somebody has flooded the zone with the fastest, most imitative material that could garner attention.
Adjective
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And their movies don’t get more formulaic than the new odd couple-style comedy starring John Cena and Eric André.
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Job listings have become so formulaic that even strong candidates scroll past them without a second look.
Cite this Entry
“Unoriginal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unoriginal. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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