cliché 1 of 2

adjective

variants also cliche
Definition of clichénext
as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull a cliché tale of lust and betrayal among the fabulously rich

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cliché

2 of 2

noun

klē-ˈshā How to pronounce cliché (audio)
variants also cliche
as in generalization
an idea or expression that has been used by many people try to write a love story without resorting to well-worn clichés

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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 cliché
Noun
The danger, however, lies in whether maximizing the profits on this $12 billion purchase drifts the Lakers closer to a luxurious cliche. — Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 What this has led to is mandating employees to start conversations — the current cliche is asking what the client is doing for the rest of the day — that are both intrusive and time-consuming. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026 The Professional is a sly inversion of — and indulgent celebration of — action cliches, made at a time when action movies were ubiquitous but often redundant, featuring a succession of distinctly European stars like Schwarzenegger and Van Damme. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026 Plus, at the risk of sounding cliche, our culture is our weapon. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cliché
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliché
  1. stereotyped
  2. generalization
  3. tired
  4. platitude
  5. hackneyed
  6. truism
  7. commonplace
  8. trope
Adjective
  • Despite their outer appearances and oftentimes stereotyped personalities, the ladies embrace each other’s depths and contradictions.
    — Meagan Jordan, VIBE.com, 10 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of stereotyped
Noun
  • This makes generalization and AGI key concepts when reasoning about the speed of progress.
    — Geoffrey Irving, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The same can be demonstrated for generalizations of square grids in high dimensions.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of generalization
Adjective
  • Billed as an immersive matchmaking experience and a new take on the dating show, the format features singletons who are tired of swiping and first dates and are ready to get hitched.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Valadao, meanwhile, cast himself as an experienced policymaker who delivers for the region and dismissed the criticism as the political bickering voters are tired of.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of tired
Noun
  • Hughes offered the usual interview platitudes and seemed to be pleased with how his team was playing.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Because the story lines are facile fakes, because the characters are blanked out, the substance of relationships is reduced to dialogue of generalities and platitudes.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of platitude
Adjective
  • There’s some hackneyed dialogue, much of it borne by Neeson, who despite his prominence in advertising gets sidelined for most of the running time.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Maybe so, but think of how badly Congress had stated those hackneyed ideas.
    — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Definition of hackneyed
Noun
  • With all the hype surrounding potential uses of AI tools, this is a truism that too often gets forgotten.
    — Bryan Mistele, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Wars cannot be fought on ideology alone – a truism that perhaps led to the firebrand former defense minister’s departure, after months of clashes and refusing to deal with the army top brass, as Zelensky describes it.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of truism
Adjective
  • In June, students spoke up at a district board meeting, claiming that racial slurs had become more commonplace on campus, the Independent reported.
    — Terry Castleman Follow, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The images on Lotería cards have typically featured commonplace objects and characters and have drawn on artistic influences including tarot cards, local cultures, and religion.
    — Sanat Pai Raikar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of commonplace
Noun
  • The South London artist channels Disney soundtrack tropes into claustrophobic strings and drones, while a handful of vocal tracks hint darkly at real-world family drama.
    — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma 1/2 manga laid the groundwork for some of the genre's most enduring tropes (gender switching, horny old guys, tournaments), and this is the second anime adaptation, this time from Studio MAPPA.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of trope

Browse Nearby Words

cleverness
cliché
clichéd
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Cite this Entry

“Cliché.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clich%C3%A9. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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