unoriginality
Lack of novelty
Unoriginality is the quality of lacking freshness or novelty—being derivative, imitative, or predictable.
The word usually carries criticism: The film's unoriginality was its fatal flaw.
What counts as unoriginal depends on context; a pop song's unoriginality might be deliberate craft, while a research paper's unoriginality is damning.
Overused and unoriginal
- triteOverused, lacking freshness
- staleNo longer fresh
- clichédOverused to meaninglessness
- tiredLacking energy, needing rest
worn-out · shopworn · threadbare · overused · timeworn · old-hat · warmed-over · stock
One who mimics another
- knockoffUnauthorized replica product
- replicaFaithful scaled reproduction
- cloneGenetically identical organism
- carbon copyIdentical reproduction of something
mimicry · aping · parroting · borrowing · emulation · appropriation · pastiche · homage
Lacking distinctive qualities
- uninspiredLacking creative spark
- prosaicLacking imagination or excitement
- mundaneCommonplace, lacking excitement
- pedestrianOne traveling afoot
vapid · insipid · flat · mediocre · unremarkable · forgettable · generic · nondescript
Reproducing something exactly
- theftUnlawful taking of property
- piracySeaborne theft or bootlegging
- infringementViolation of rights
- forgeryCreating fraudulent imitations
counterfeiting · lifting · cribbing · cheating · unattributed · stolen · uncredited · bootleg
hackneyed
Overused and unoriginal
tired · worn-out · shopworn · threadbare · overused · timeworn · old-hat · warmed-over · stock · formulaic
copycat
One who mimics another
- knockoffUnauthorized replica product
- replicaFaithful scaled reproduction
- cloneGenetically identical organism
carbon copy · mimicry · aping · parroting · borrowing · emulation · appropriation · pastiche · homage · rip-off
bland
Lacking distinctive qualities
- uninspiredLacking creative spark
- prosaicLacking imagination or excitement
- mundaneCommonplace, lacking excitement
pedestrian · vapid · insipid · flat · mediocre · unremarkable · forgettable · generic · nondescript · featureless
copying
Reproducing something exactly
- theftUnlawful taking of property
- piracySeaborne theft or bootlegging
- infringementViolation of rights
forgery · counterfeiting · lifting · cribbing · cheating · unattributed · stolen · uncredited · bootleg · fraudulent
unoriginalityoriginality
Novel creative quality
creativity · inventiveness · innovation · novelty · ingenuity
unoriginalityuniqueness
Quality of being singular
authenticity · distinctiveness · individuality · singularity · idiosyncrasy
original, origin, originality, originate, unoriginal, aboriginal, aborigine, originalities, unoriginally