banality
Americannoun
plural
banalities-
the condition or quality of being banal, or devoid of freshness or originality.
the banality of everyday life.
-
an instance of this.
We sat around the dinner table exchanging banalities.
Etymology
Origin of banality
First recorded in 1815–25; from French banalité, equivalent to banal ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Pregnant also sums up the mood of the novel, which cultivates an atmosphere of ominous banality.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025
Madeleine Thien has penned an all-too-human novel that explores themes of collaboration and resistance, exile and community, and the banality of living in “interesting times.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2025
Or, was "SNL" presenting queerness with the same banality as we’ve come to see straightness, albeit with the use of a somewhat dehumanizing pun?
From Salon • Feb. 17, 2025
Like the social media that’s potentially inspired it, male cosmetic procedures are accessible, acceptable, and possibly moving toward banality.
From Slate • Sep. 21, 2024
William nodded, a little taken aback by the banality of the comment.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
