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Definitions

hackneyed

[hak-need] / ˈhæk nid /

ADJECTIVE

clichéd, tired

Synonyms

STRONGEST

banal corny stale threadbare timeworn trite well-worn

WEAK

antiquated common commonplace conventional everyday familiar tune hokey moth-eaten obsolete old old-hat out-of-date outdated outmoded overworked pedestrian played-out quotidian run-of-the-mill stereotyped stock unoriginal worn-out

Antonyms

STRONGEST

fresh new original

WEAK

uncommon

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for hackneyed?

The closest synonyms for hackneyed are trite and banal. All three words suggest that something has become stale or dull due to overuse—that it has become clichéd due to being done to death. Synonyms that focus on overuse include overused, overdone, worn out, and well-worn. Other synonyms include commonplace and unoriginal. The word threadbare is used in a literal way to describe worn-out clothes, but it can also be used in a figurative way to mean hackneyed. The word shopworn can mean the same thing.

Where does hackneyed come from?

Hackneyed comes from the word hackney, referring to a carriage for hire (also called a hackney coach) or the kind of horse used to pull such a carriage. The word was also once used to refer to a person hired to do menial work, leading to the term hack, meaning someone, such as an artist or writer, who produces hackneyed work. The word hackney itself comes from the placename Hackney, a borough of London.

What is the opposite (antonym) of hackneyed?

Hackneyed suggests something that is overdone. The opposite of this would be something truly new, fresh, and original. Be careful, though—calling something fresh or original can sound a bit hackneyed!

How do you use hackneyed in a sentence?

Hackneyed is especially used to describe overused expressions or unoriginal works of art or elements of them, such as the plot of a movie or an overdone joke. Here are some examples of hackneyed in a sentence:

His leadership style depended on spouting hackneyed phrases like “blue sky thinking” and “bleeding edge.”
The mystery novel was so hackneyed that I had it figured out by the end of the first chapter.
I never know what to write in a sympathy card—everything feels so hackneyed and trite.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

hackneyed

Long after TV catchphrases became associated with hackneyed scripting, Picard unironically claimed a few of the best, including “make it so” and “engage,” delivering them each time with an air of aristocratic confidence.

From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026

Kessler thought Spengler a “fat priest with a fat chin and brutal mouth” and his theories “the most hackneyed, trivial stuff,” but Kessler sensed the ominous turn in Germany’s cultural politics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

"It's a very hackneyed expression but it's a huge privilege. It really is," he said.

From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026

The film rests in a dismal tone for so long that its gloominess becomes sappy, making the ending feel hackneyed and inevitable.

From Salon ● Nov. 30, 2025

“Fifty years,” I hackneyed, “is a long time.”

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

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