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.

The cliche, 'anybody can beat anybody' in the Premier League is closer to the truth than in La Liga or the Bundesliga.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Bernardo: I would say that I know it's a bit of a cliche, but don't be afraid of failing.

From BBC • Dec. 13, 2025

“We tried to avoid the chop-socky, punchy cliche sounds you hear in a lot of boxing movies,” Urmson notes.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

We broke up within a month, and my life became a California cliche: I joined a cult-like spiritual practice with a glamorous Indian guru.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025

An even worse cliche, Generation X, is already degenerating. get nowhere fast.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

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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