as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull
people at the funeral offered the grieving family well-worn platitudes and expressions of sympathy
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Recent Examples of well-worn
The restaurant, which opened in late 2016 in the spot once home to the German restaurant Glockenspiel, earned consistent plaudits from Pioneer Press writers and beyond for its cozy and well-worn vibe, great food and even better cocktail menu.
—
Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 16 Mar. 2026
Perry’s lyrics split the difference between contemporary and well-worn depictions of romance.
—Arielle Gordon, Pitchfork, 26 Feb. 2026
On the field of his life, his shoes were well-worn.
—Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
Sun-faded and well-worn, a great pair of distressed jeans can tell a story in its patches and tears.
—Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026
Nearly a decade later, the show’s schtick has become arguably well-worn, with storylines borrowing from its past seasons nearly as much as popular '80s fare.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 3 Dec. 2025
Customers looking to personalize or rework their new or well-worn boots can pay a visit to the store’s Repair & Customisation Bar and learn about the brand’s partnership with The Boot Repair Company.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 26 Nov. 2025
The statistic is well-worn, even after an off week.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
The bat, which was well-worn, had some discoloration around the barrel.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Sep. 2025
Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 16 Mar. 2026
Perry’s lyrics split the difference between contemporary and well-worn depictions of romance.
—Arielle Gordon, Pitchfork, 26 Feb. 2026
On the field of his life, his shoes were well-worn.
—Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
Sun-faded and well-worn, a great pair of distressed jeans can tell a story in its patches and tears.
—Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026
Nearly a decade later, the show’s schtick has become arguably well-worn, with storylines borrowing from its past seasons nearly as much as popular '80s fare.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 3 Dec. 2025
Customers looking to personalize or rework their new or well-worn boots can pay a visit to the store’s Repair & Customisation Bar and learn about the brand’s partnership with The Boot Repair Company.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 26 Nov. 2025
The statistic is well-worn, even after an off week.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
The bat, which was well-worn, had some discoloration around the barrel.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for well-worn
Adjective
-
This is a directed, stereotyped behavior in which the highest-resolution region of the somatosensory surface is brought to bear on the object requiring the most detailed analysis.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
In some cases, praise took on overtly stereotyped forms: words like 'love' were used disproportionately with female students, while 'powerful' appeared only for Black students.—
Rachel del Guidice,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
5 June 2026
-
The Ukrainian president also said the majority of Russians had grown tired of missile and drone attacks, inflation and fuel shortages, and were ready for peace.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Maybe so, but think of how badly Congress had stated those hackneyed ideas.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
While not exactly a feminist screed, the script grants nary a free pass to the glut of hackneyed gender conventions in the golden-age canon without at least cracking a joke.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While statistics suggest that Bass has made headway on homelessness, makeshift encampments and rows of rusting RVs remain commonplace across the city.—
MIchael R. Blood,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
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Or visits from high-profile teams like the Yankees and MVPs like Judge — or Shohei Ohtani, whose Los Angeles Dodgers come to Sacramento at the end of June — will become commonplace, with 81 regular season home games a year on the shore of the Sacramento River.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
There’s also an in-house, ground floor Pastelaria with tea, coffee, the obligatory pastéis de nata and savory pastries.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
There’s the obligatory photo op at the Great Hall of the People before closed-door talks with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Well-worn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well-worn. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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