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
-
Kelly Enders-Tharp, a three-time surrogate and education and experience specialist at Growing Generations, explains that surrogates are often stereotyped, or that their backgrounds are misrepresented.—
Kris Ann Valdez,
Parents,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Later, Lenape artist Joe Baker places cutout photographs of his ancestors over the stereotyped images of Native Americans found in the wallpaper.—
Tom McDonough,
Artforum,
1 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Even in Huntington Beach, residents tired of perpetual culture wars rejected two ballot measures last year seeking to give the City Council more control over a municipal library system that Van Der Mark long claimed was essentially providing pornography to children.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Ditch those tired frozen meals and try out something a bit more exciting in your work lunch routine.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Wise knew that these hackneyed tools would get him nowhere.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Few parents can follow the hackneyed wisdom of living in the moment.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Digital tickets have become commonplace, and ticket stubs have largely disappeared.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Corporate slop, carefully calibrated to appeal to nostalgic fans without offering anything new on their own terms, is commonplace these days.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Because Anna and Matteo were never actually together, her clear attraction with Michael doesn’t face any meaningful obstacles, aside from some obligatory (and weakly justified) initial sniping between the two leads.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
-
This was largely because the White House has yet to provide any of the government guarantees — including commitments on visas, tax exemptions, safety and security — that are deemed obligatory for a World Cup bid to progress.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Well-worn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well-worn. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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