How to Use platitude in a Sentence

platitude

noun
  • His speech was filled with familiar platitudes about the value of hard work and dedication.
  • In such a realm, the tenet that no one is above the law is a mere platitude, if not an inanity.
    Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2023
  • After a few more platitudes, the lady of the hour strides to the podium.
    Donna M. Owens, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2020
  • This isn’t the time for platitudes and promises for the future.
    Christian Datoc, Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2024
  • The mice greet this with a shrug, mouth vague platitudes, and go on the talk-show circuit anyway.
    Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023
  • There's no script to speak of, just a pastiche of platitudes about the tumultuous decade.
    Andrea Simakis, cleveland.com, 13 May 2018
  • From anyone else, that might have been a platitude the minute Vermeil walked away.
    Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2022
  • To each platitude, Mr. Noor simply bowed his head, his hand on his chest.
    Mujib Mashal, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2018
  • But such statements are seen by many in Ukraine as platitudes.
    Kostiantyn Khudov, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2023
  • More than friends, the original crew from the '80s and '90s sci-fi hit are like family — and that's not a platitude.
    Ryan Parker, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2023
  • No politician may come and simply repeat the platitude of thoughts and prayers.
    Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 25 May 2022
  • But Nick Kyrgios, the young and combustible Australian, cut through the platitudes.
    Christopher Clarey, New York Times, 3 July 2016
  • This ideal is not some musty platitude whose time has passed.
    Lawrence B. Solum, Star Tribune, 19 Oct. 2020
  • That sentiment might sound like a platitude from a rich rock star.
    John Blake, CNN, 8 Nov. 2022
  • His speech was short on specifics and full of optimistic platitudes.
    Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2024
  • The point is to do better than platitudes and empty phrases.
    Calum Marsh, The New Republic, 16 Mar. 2018
  • This feels like the kind of platitude that’s easy to believe yet impossible to prove.
    Karen Kaplanscience and Medicine Editor, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2022
  • Turn off the podcasts and put away the platitudes and instant affirmations, and go out into the world and walk your own streets.
    Bess Matassa, Teen Vogue, 29 June 2018
  • At one point in Adiós, González notes that the artists were in it for love, not money, and there’s no doubt his statement is not a mere platitude or party line.
    Judy Cantor-Navas, Billboard, 25 May 2017
  • O’Neill did not go in for platitudes, which made him good television.
    Rory Smith, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2017
  • This year, skip the Hallmark-style platitudes and thank your mom with a truly thoughtful Mother's Day card.
    Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, 3 Apr. 2019
  • The sports world is cluttered with meaningless clichés and false platitudes.
    George Diaz, OrlandoSentinel.com, 21 Jan. 2018
  • In between these exchanges, the pair offer platitudes about the dangers (but never the details) of war.
    Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
  • Perhaps in the 1920s, Democrats were confused that the market rose under Harding — a genial mouther of platitudes and not much else.
    Roger Lowenstein, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2020
  • The NCAA hides behind platitudes and lofty ideals as an excuse for not paying its players.
    Marcus Thompson Ii, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2017
  • Pat wastes air space with platitudes and offers nothing new.
    David Komlos, Quartz at Work, 19 Feb. 2020
  • In our more secular age, Lincoln’s remark about the Bible may seem a mere platitude.
    Fergus M. Bordewich, WSJ, 15 Jan. 2021
  • But when answers weren’t close at hand, O’Rourke veered off into platitudes and campaign trail themes.
    Katie Palmer, Quartz, 5 Sep. 2019
  • And at least thus far, the din of legislative platitudes has proven insufficient to drown them out.
    Jay Willis, GQ, 20 Feb. 2018
  • There is no place for their platitudes, inaction or hiding of damning reports when our children need immediate protection.
    Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 1 Sep. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'platitude.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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