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Synonym Chooser

How is the word banal distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of banal are flat, inane, insipid, jejune, and vapid. While all these words mean "devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character," banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy.

a banal tale of unrequited love

When might flat be a better fit than banal?

The synonyms flat and banal are sometimes interchangeable, but flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest.

although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat

In what contexts can inane take the place of banal?

Although the words inane and banal have much in common, inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality.

an inane interpretation of the play

When is insipid a more appropriate choice than banal?

While in some cases nearly identical to banal, insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest.

an insipid romance with platitudes on every page

When is it sensible to use jejune instead of banal?

While the synonyms jejune and banal are close in meaning, jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance.

a jejune and gassy speech

When would vapid be a good substitute for banal?

The words vapid and banal can be used in similar contexts, but vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit.

an exciting story given a vapid treatment

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of banal Generally, the drama does spectacularly well with abiding by a primal sense of magical realism — the finding of wonderment in the banal and the insertion of banality into the wondrous. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024 When everyone’s tossed together into the big salad of marginalization, otherness is made banal and abstract. Dean Kissick, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024 James introduces the group to places that were formerly of great import to Jewish life in the city and which now serve banal and secular functions. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024 But the most sinister aspect of the movie, to me, is how banal its serial rapists are—how corny and ineffectual, these cringeworthy failsons. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for banal 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banal
Adjective
  • The entire family is outraged, but Peter insists that the film is slow, boring and essentially, overrated.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Brittany Mahomes is giving boring game-day outfits the boot!
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Compelling subject matter only goes so far when presented in such a bland, familiar manner.
    Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2025
  • The team initially struggled, and so did Saleh’s defense, which in 2018 was criticized for being too bland and at times too discombobulated.
    Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Tragedies can be examined by those outside of its sphere of destruction, but the groundswell of feeling from Mexican viewers and critics is that there was little or no care taken to understand the cultural grief beyond stereotyped spectacle.
    Lucy Ford, TIME, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Founded by artists who grew up in Maryvale, Salcido said the purpose of Labor is to be the bridge that shows the artistic capacity and potential of Maryvale because the neighborhood is too often stereotyped, underrepresented and ignored.
    David Ulloa Jr, The Arizona Republic, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • At the far extreme, there is the insipid libertarianism of Ron Paul, the former Texas representative, who has claimed that Marine detachments guarding U.S. embassies count as examples of military overstretch.
    Bret Stephens, Foreign Affairs, 5 Feb. 2013
  • The blandly positive lyrics seemed even more insipid amid all the bedroom jams.
    Eric Webb, Austin American-Statesman, 1 June 2024
Adjective
  • Some women combat veterans and military experts say Hegseth's likely rise to Trump's cabinet has left them frustrated and exhausted and has revived tired, sexist arguments against their service.
    Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2025
  • The upstairs restaurant serves Italian classics with a twist, as well as couscous and dishes prepared in a wok, which can be a nice change for those tired of pizza and pasta.
    Gary Stoller, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • On the thirteenth-century tomb of Eleanor of Aquitaine, she is shown wide awake and reading, while her dull and kingly husband sleeps for all eternity.
    Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
  • If your hair is dull and prone to breakage, this serum is packed with gluco-peptides and wheat protein to help restore elasticity and strengthening the cuticle.
    Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • This might seem commonplace now—Wanda Sykes and Drew Barrymore have both done this—but in the 1990s, this was unusual, so Alex tries to pass it off as a heart attack.
    Jennifer Vineyard, Flow Space, 24 Jan. 2025
  • But all of that risks coming at the cost of further warming the planet, which environmental scientists believe contributes to hurricanes, wildfires, and many of the other natural disasters that have become increasingly commonplace in recent years.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • In addition to her tiring routine of delivering disappointment, Hadoula also has to contend with her own troubles in the form of a vision of her deceased mother (Maria Protoppapa).
    Ryan Swen, Variety, 18 Jan. 2025
  • Image Piloting a firefighting aircraft is sweaty, tiring work, Mr. Mattiacci said.
    Yan Zhuang, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near banal

Cite this Entry

“Banal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banal. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on banal

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