Banal (Adjective)
Meaning
Repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse; "bromidic sermons"; "his remarks were trite and commonplace"; "hackneyed phrases"; "a stock answer"; "repeating threadbare jokes"; "parroting some timeworn axiom"; "the trite metaphor `hard as nails'".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The comedian's routines had become banal and predictable, with the same tired jokes and one-liners night after night.
- Her teacher was disappointed that the student's essay was filled with banal clichés and overused phrases.
- The audience grew restless as the politician began to spout banal slogans and vague promises that offered no real substance.
- After hearing the same banal motivational speech for the fifth time, the employees began to tune out and lose interest.
- The author's reliance on banal metaphors and similes made her writing feel stale and unoriginal.