Definitions

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.

I know it’s a cliché for me to say I go to record stores, but I do.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026

It’s a cliché, sure, but for good reason: the kitchen really is the heart of the home.

From Salon • May 5, 2026

The confluence of Day’s songs, Herrmann’s score and Benjamin’s cantata demolished the cliché of cinema music needing to stay in the background.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

As the cliché goes, time in the market beats timing the market.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

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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