HACKNEYED Synonyms: 126 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'hackneyed' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of hackneyed are stereotyped , threadbare , and trite . While all these words mean "lacking the freshness that evokes attention or interest," hackneyed stresses being worn out by overuse so as to become dull and meaningless. // all of the metaphors and images in the poem are hackneyed

Q: When is 'stereotyped' a more appropriate choice than 'hackneyed'?

Although the words stereotyped and hackneyed have much in common, stereotyped implies falling invariably into the same pattern or form. // views of minorities that are stereotyped and out-of-date

Q: When would 'threadbare' be a good substitute for 'hackneyed'?

The meanings of threadbare and hackneyed largely overlap; however, threadbare applies to what has been used until its possibilities of interest have been totally exhausted. // a mystery novel with a threadbare plot

Q: When might 'trite' be a better fit than 'hackneyed'?

While the synonyms trite and hackneyed are close in meaning, trite applies to a once effective phrase or idea spoiled from long familiarity. // "you win some, you lose some" is a trite expression

hackneyed 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhak-nēd

Definition of hackneyed next

as in cliche

used or heard so often as to be dull it's hackneyed, but true—the more you save the more you earn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hackneyed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of hackney

as in stereotyped

to use so much as to make less appealing advertisers have hackneyed the word "revolutionary" so much that it now just means that a product is new

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective hackneyed differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of hackneyed are stereotyped, threadbare, and trite. While all these words mean "lacking the freshness that evokes attention or interest," hackneyed stresses being worn out by overuse so as to become dull and meaningless.

all of the metaphors and images in the poem are hackneyed

When is stereotyped a more appropriate choice than hackneyed?

Although the words stereotyped and hackneyed have much in common, stereotyped implies falling invariably into the same pattern or form.

views of minorities that are stereotyped and out-of-date

When would threadbare be a good substitute for hackneyed?

The meanings of threadbare and hackneyed largely overlap; however, threadbare applies to what has been used until its possibilities of interest have been totally exhausted.

a mystery novel with a threadbare plot

When might trite be a better fit than hackneyed?

While the synonyms trite and hackneyed are close in meaning, trite applies to a once effective phrase or idea spoiled from long familiarity.

"you win some, you lose some" is a trite expression

Examples of hackneyed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The show's cringing-while-laughing setup would be too much for some viewers — but many others found watching the gang guessing ethnicities written on index cards taped to their foreheads to be a welcome change to the hackneyed humor of the contemporary sitcom landscape. —

Erin Strecker, EW.com, 21 Feb. 2024 Flat-footed contrivances, compounded by hackneyed humor and stereotypical targets, contribute to the sense that the play is always a beat behind. —

Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2024 Christian Carion’s seventh feature steers clear of hackneyed tropes, alternating between jarring flashbacks of Madeleine’s hard domestic younger years and those intimate conversations between this unlikely duo who form a bond as the day shifts into night. —

Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 17 Jan. 2024 Biden made much in his hackneyed speech — it probably could have been written by a precocious eighth grader in an AP government class — of a painting in the U.S. Capitol of George Washington resigning his commission. —

Rich Lowry, National Review, 8 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hackneyed

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