as in cliche
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
another sitcom based on the banality of roommates with opposite personalities
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of banality
In a video interview, James spoke about her favorite ax murderers, the banality of chain saws and Paul Bunyan.
—
Sadie Stein, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Despite—or maybe because of—its willingness to court banality, Childish Literature feels much fresher.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2024
The non-concert footage is meant to bridge the personal and the political, and to convey the banalities and horrors of the early 1970s as well as to illuminate Lennon and Ono’s activism.
—Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
There are quick but indelible glimpses of signs for the whites-only ticket booth, waiting room, and rest room; when Stack, seeing a white woman nearby, orders Sammie to avert his eyes and walk away, the screen shivers with the ambient terror underlying the banalities of segregation.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for banality
Sadie Stein, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Despite—or maybe because of—its willingness to court banality, Childish Literature feels much fresher.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2024
The non-concert footage is meant to bridge the personal and the political, and to convey the banalities and horrors of the early 1970s as well as to illuminate Lennon and Ono’s activism.
—Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
There are quick but indelible glimpses of signs for the whites-only ticket booth, waiting room, and rest room; when Stack, seeing a white woman nearby, orders Sammie to avert his eyes and walk away, the screen shivers with the ambient terror underlying the banalities of segregation.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for banality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banality
Noun
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And in a twist on the typical movie cliches, guess who plays the ditzy character this time?—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
17 July 2025
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Bana embodies Kyle’s suffocating cliches with endearing commitment, his gravelly voice, gentle countenance, and steadfast capability combining to form a recognizable portrait of pride and suffering.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
17 July 2025
Noun
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In response to these criticisms, colleges and universities have offered bromides – i.e., vague ideas intended to placate, not Bromo-Seltzer which is no longer available at CVS – about building industry or employer partnerships.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
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The same rule applies for hearing bromides about chasing dreams and believing in yourself.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2025
Noun
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The sheer number of stray cats in the U.S. makes encounters like this commonplace.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 July 2025
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Luxury scented candles, like room sprays for that matter, have the power to elevate any moment: taking it from commonplace to utterly indulgent.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Even when characters get a moment of self-realization, Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah’s book, including sizeable chunks of the screenplay, replaces drama with platitudes or dialogue gags.—
David Benedict,
Variety,
24 June 2025
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All platitudes aside, the Kentucky distillery really does make some fantastic whiskey, and two releases that always stand out are the annual 10 Year Old Bourbon and Rye—and the 2025 edition of the latter expression was just announced.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
21 May 2025
Noun
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Practice creating and communicating narratives that balance today’s truisms with tomorrow’s opportunities.—
Camille Nicita,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
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Comments Lovers of Little Women must always face some truisms — Beth will die; Jo will reject Laurie and choose the professor.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
11 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Banality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banality. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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