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banal

[buh-nal, -nahl, beyn-l] / bəˈnæl, -ˈnɑl, ˈbeɪn l /


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.

There’s something covertly chilling about taking some relatively banal aspect of real life and pushing it to its most extreme lengths — and there’s also so much that could go wrong trying.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

Viewers are meant to think this banal instance of unseemly actions provides a counterbalance to the initial revelation about the other partner, but it’s not in the same moral universe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Golaszewski explains it's not intentional and he's showing that "the truth of grief is that it is banal".

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

The short video posts on platforms like TikTok show how even just the words "Tokyo, Japan" with a cherry blossom emoji can make an otherwise banal street scene more appealing for some users.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

If one filters out banal and impersonal events, most of what’s left are astounding aberrations and coincidences, and one’s mind begins to resemble the headlines of supermarket tabloids.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos




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