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Definitions

stale

[steyl] / steɪl /
ADJECTIVE
old, decayed
Synonyms
STRONGEST
musty smelly sour stagnant watery
STRONG
dried dry faded parched rank reeking spoiled stinking
WEAK
dead fetid flat fusty hard insipid malodorous noisome stenchy tasteless weak zestless
Antonyms
STRONG
damp moist wet
WEAK
current fresh new underused
ADJECTIVE
overused, out-of-date
Synonyms
STRONGEST
corny dull hackneyed shopworn threadbare tired
STRONG
antiquated bent out stereotyped
WEAK
banal cliché cliché-ridden clichéd common commonplace dead drab dusty effete flat fusty insipid like a dinosaur mawkish moth-eaten passé past platitudinous repetitious timeworn trite unoriginal well-worn worn-out yesterday's zestless
Antonyms
STRONGEST
active fresh new original
WEAK
current underused

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.

In dollar terms, there’s a total of $347 billion worth of stale inventory on the market nationwide—up 4.3% annually.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

They aren’t just stale; to use Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy’s excellent new phrase, they’re as “dead as fried chicken.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 11, 2026

Nepali student leader-turned-politician Gagan Thapa has sought to rejuvenate his party's stale image, campaigning on generational change ahead of the Himalayan nation's first elections since a deadly youth-led uprising.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

"We had a lovely video sent to us about the cows being hand-fed stale baguettes, everyone loved that video," Haywood added.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

I go to the attic almost every morning to get the stale air out of my lungs.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.