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
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
The scuffed and well-worn bag, a prototype created for Birkin, is the only one of its kind with a non-removable shoulder strap and attached nail clipper, illustrative of the bohemian effortlessness that garnered Birkin her fame.
—India Brown, Robb Report, 10 July 2025
Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 16 Mar. 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
The scuffed and well-worn bag, a prototype created for Birkin, is the only one of its kind with a non-removable shoulder strap and attached nail clipper, illustrative of the bohemian effortlessness that garnered Birkin her fame.
—India Brown, Robb Report, 10 July 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
-
They have been seen directing snaking security lines and passing out water bottles to tired travelers.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Step in when someone’s tired or needs a break.—
Chris John Amorosino,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 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
-
Brenner pointed out that across all three enterprises, there is a need to fulfill customer desires for optionality above all else, even as same-day delivery becomes more commonplace among delivery providers.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
31 Mar. 2026
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Moore’s demo may seem far-fetched, but the future of these privacy intrusions may become commonplace.—
Justyn Newman,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The norms concerning meat abstinence apply to members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onward, and the norms of fasting are obligatory for Catholic followers aged 18 through 59, according to the conference.—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The movie does attempt to gesture at class and race as thematic underpinnings (the maids trapped in The Virgil are mostly non-white, while the villains are rich Caucasians), but like the story and action at large, these go pretty much nowhere, and feel like obligatory symbols.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Well-worn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well-worn. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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