clichéed
Tired and overused
Clichéed describes something that has become stale through overuse—a phrase, idea, or image so familiar it no longer has impact.
A clichéd love story hits predictable beats; a clichéd villain twirls his mustache.
The word itself comes from a French printing term for a stereotype plate that reproduced the same image repeatedly.
Also spelled clichéd.
Overused and unoriginal
- banalUnoriginal and dull
- platitudinousOverused and unoriginal
- commonplaceUnremarkable and frequent
- shopwornDeteriorated from display
threadbare · well-worn · corny · tired · overused · unoriginal · derivative · stereotyped
Following a set template
- conventionalFollowing accepted practices
- expectedRegarded as likely
- routineRegular sequence of actions
- typicalRepresentative of a kind
standard · unsurprising · foreseeable · obvious · inevitable · unvarying · repetitive · monotonous
Lacking creative originality
- prosaicLacking imagination or excitement
- vapidDull, without depth
- insipidWithout flavor or interest
- blandLacking distinctive qualities
dull · flat · pedestrian · lifeless · lackluster · mediocre · humdrum · mundane
No longer fashionable
- outmodedNo longer in fashion
- antiquatedOld and outdated
- old-fashionedBelonging to earlier times
- outdatedNo longer in use
obsolete · archaic · fusty · musty · moth-eaten · fossilized · anachronistic · behind-the-times
hackneyed
Overused and unoriginal
- banalUnoriginal and dull
- platitudinousOverused and unoriginal
- commonplaceUnremarkable and frequent
shopworn · threadbare · well-worn · corny · tired · overused · unoriginal · derivative · stereotyped · formulaic
formulaic
Following a set template
- conventionalFollowing accepted practices
- expectedRegarded as likely
- routineRegular sequence of actions
typical · standard · unsurprising · foreseeable · obvious · inevitable · unvarying · repetitive · monotonous · by-the-numbers
unimaginative
Lacking creative originality
bland · dull · flat · pedestrian · lifeless · lackluster · mediocre · humdrum · mundane · colorless
passé
No longer fashionable
- outmodedNo longer in fashion
- antiquatedOld and outdated
- old-fashionedBelonging to earlier times
outdated · obsolete · archaic · fusty · musty · moth-eaten · fossilized · anachronistic · behind-the-times · out-of-date