Pronunciation: /kliˈʃeɪ/

Definitions of cliché

noun a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought

Example Sentences

A1 I heard the cliché 'time flies when you're having fun'.

A2 She rolled her eyes at the cliché ending of the romantic comedy.

B1 The movie was full of clichés, but I still enjoyed it.

B2 He avoided using clichés in his writing to make it more original.

C1 The author's use of clichés detracted from the overall quality of the novel.

C2 As a seasoned writer, she knew how to cleverly subvert clichés in her work.

adjective characterized by being overused and lacking originality

Example Sentences

A1 She wore a cliché pink dress to the party.

A2 The movie was full of cliché characters and predictable plot twists.

B1 The marketing campaign used cliché slogans to appeal to a broad audience.

B2 The author's writing style was criticized for being cliché and unoriginal.

C1 Despite its cliché premise, the novel was praised for its unique storytelling.

C2 The film was a masterful deconstruction of cliché Hollywood tropes.

Examples of cliché in a Sentence

formal The use of cliché phrases can detract from the originality of a piece of writing.

informal I'm so tired of hearing the same cliché lines in every romantic comedy.

slang That movie was so cliché, I could predict the ending within the first ten minutes.

figurative Her behavior was like a cliché, repeating the same mistakes over and over again.

Grammatical Forms of cliché

past tense

clichéd

plural

clichés

comparative

more clichéd

superlative

most clichéd

present tense

clichés

future tense

will cliché

perfect tense

have clichéd

continuous tense

is clichéing

singular

cliché

positive degree

cliché

infinitive

to cliché

gerund

clichéing

participle

clichéed

Origin and Evolution of cliché

First Known Use: 1837 year
Language of Origin: French
Story behind the word: The word 'cliché' originated from the French language, specifically from the verb 'clicher' meaning 'to stereotype'.
Evolution of the word: Originally used in printing to refer to a stereotype block used for reproducing identical copies, the term evolved to describe overused expressions or ideas in a broader sense.