stereotypical

adjective

ste·​reo·​typ·​i·​cal ˌster-ē-ə-ˈti-pi-kəl How to pronounce stereotypical (audio)
1
or less commonly stereotypic : conforming to a fixed or general pattern or type especially when of an oversimplified or prejudiced nature : of, relating to, or constituting a stereotype
Charlie Stuart represents a new breed of motorcyclists who are erasing the stereotypical black-leather-jacket, tough-guy image that plagued motorcyclists since the violent Hollywood productions of the Fifties.Sue Browder
His book concedes that progress has been made in a sheerly numerical sense, but it argues that overall the black presence on television has been an endless recycling of a passel of injuriously stereotypical images.John McWhorter
2
or stereotypic : of, relating to, or marked by stereotypy
a
medical : characterized by frequent repetition of the same, typically purposeless movement, gesture, posture, or vocal sound or utterance
Other stereotypical behaviors such as hand flapping and chewing on clothing or objects may be connected to sensory processing problems or anxiety.Cori Urban
… periodic leg movements during sleep, commonly known as nocturnal myoclonus—rapid, stereotypic, and periodic flexion of the legs and feet associated with repeated awakenings throughout the night.Patricia N. Prinz et al.
b
veterinary medicine : characterized by abnormal repetitive behavior
Many animals cope with unstimulating or small environments through stereotypic behavior … such as pacing, bar biting …Laura Smith
stereotypically adverb
She wanted her staff to work together and get along. So on a hot July night, Katharine Graham did a stereotypically female thing: She threw a party. Judith M. Havemann

Examples of stereotypical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Vulnerability exists for people of color when participating in frank conversations with white people in that they would be labeled/perceived in some stereotypical fashion. Dr. Tony Lux, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025 Representation that is multidimensional, not stereotypical, not depending on tropes. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2025 And while the texture and taste of even the best protein bars is not entirely…natural, not all of them are the stereotypical PowerBar of the ’90s. Megan Wahn, Bon Appétit, 3 Feb. 2025 Capcom’s Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (1991) was about choosing a brawler from an eclectic (if stereotypical) pool to travel to different parts of the world, throwing down in locations like India and Brazil. Veerender Jubbal, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for stereotypical 

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stereotypical was in 1801

Dictionary Entries Near stereotypical

Cite this Entry

“Stereotypical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stereotypical. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Medical Definition

stereotypical

adjective
ste·​reo·​typ·​i·​cal ˌster-ē-ə-ˈtip-i-kəl How to pronounce stereotypical (audio)
variants or stereotypic
: of, relating to, or marked by stereotypy:
a
: characterized by frequent repetition of the same, typically purposeless movement, gesture, posture, or vocal sound or utterance
Other stereotypical behaviors such as hand flapping and chewing on clothing or objects may be connected to sensory processing problems or anxiety.Cori Urban
… periodic leg movements during sleep, commonly known as nocturnal myoclonus—rapid, stereotypic, and periodic flexion of the legs and feet associated with repeated awakenings throughout the night.Patricia N. Prinz et al.
b
veterinary medicine : characterized by abnormal repetitive behavior
Many animals cope with unstimulating or small environments through stereotypic behavior … such as pacing, bar biting, and Gus' figure-eight swimming.Laura Smith
stereotypically adverb
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