banality

American  

[buh-nal-i-tee, bey-] / bəˈnæl ɪ ti, beɪ- /

noun

plural

banalities

1. the condition or quality of being banal, or devoid of freshness or originality.

   the banality of everyday life.

2. an instance of this.

   We sat around the dinner table exchanging banalities.

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Etymology

Origin of banality

First recorded in 1815–25; from French banalité, equivalent to banal ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Explanation

A banality is a trite, boring, or overused remark. That includes clichés like "life is short" and your basic small talk about the weather. Banalities are sayings that almost everyone uses, and because they're so well-known, they've lost all their power. These expressions are clichéd and many people find them annoying. "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade" is one good example. When you're writing or speaking, you're much better off trying to find fresh language because one tends to hear the same old banalities again and again.

Example Sentences

The finish line isn’t moral resolution, but the banality of the cash register: a product governed where it matters most, at the point of sale.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

The banality of her letter to Putin was itself a choice — and was completely on brand, for Melania Trump has always been just as opaque as her prose suggests.

From Salon • Aug. 19, 2025

Just as Allfrey’s photographs were “crowded with lifetimes,” so is Russell’s novel, a work suffused with the “mystery of kindness” and the banality of violence.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 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

He does not talk about purity any more but of the necessity of using common cultural sign systems to reflect the iconic banality of our times.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• platitude