cliche

[klee-shey, kli-] / kliˈʃeɪ, klɪ- /

NOUN

overused, hackneyed phrase

Synonyms

WEAK

adage banality boiler plate bromide buzzword chestnut commonplace corn counterword familiar tune motto old story platitude potboiler prosaism proverb rubber stamp saying shibboleth slogan stale saying stereotype threadbare phrase trite remark triteness triviality truism vapid expression

cliché

NOUN

overused, hackneyed phrase

Synonyms

WEAK

adage banality boiler plate bromide buzzword chestnut commonplace corn counterword familiar tune motto old story platitude potboiler prosaism proverb saying shibboleth slogan stale saying stereotype threadbare phrase trite remark triteness triviality truism vapid expression

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.

Mrs. Irani’s advice is well-meaning and even inspirational, but sometimes she devolves into cliché and therapy-speak.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

“Our data shows the stereotypical cliché gifts of the past are shifting to those that actually make everyday sense.”

From MarketWatch • Feb. 13, 2026

What might be a cliché is animated by Hayes’s confident brushstrokes and vibrant colors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 17, 2026

It is the cliché critique, made so often, by so many and for so long.

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025

I hate the cliché that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, because covers say so much about what’s inside.

From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez

Vocabulary lists containing cliche

Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - Introductory

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The AP English Exam: Rhetorical and Literary Terms 2

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Reading: Literature - Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - Middle School

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