bland

¹

[bland]

adjective

blander, blandest 

1. pleasantly gentle or agreeable.

   a bland, affable manner.

   Synonyms: urbane, suave, amiable, mild, affable
   Antonyms: boorish, cruel

2. soothing or balmy, as air.

   a bland southern breeze.

   Synonyms: mild, soft
   Antonyms: harsh

3. nonirritating, as food or medicines.

   a bland diet.

   Synonyms: mild, soft
   Antonyms: irritating

4. not highly flavored; mild; tasteless.

   a bland sauce.

5. lacking in special interest, liveliness, individuality, etc.; insipid; dull.

   a bland young man; a bland situation comedy.

6. unemotional, indifferent, or casual.

   his bland acknowledgment of guilt.

Bland

²

[bland]

noun

1. James A(llen), 1854–1911, U.S. songwriter and minstrel performer.

bland

/ blænd /

adjective

1. devoid of any distinctive or stimulating characteristics; uninteresting; dull

   bland food

2. gentle and agreeable; suave

3. (of the weather) mild and soothing

4. unemotional or unmoved

   a bland account of atrocities

Other Word Forms

• blandly adverb
• blandness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bland¹

First recorded in 1590–1600, bland is from the Latin word blandus of a smooth tongue, pleasant, soothing

Word History and Origins

Origin of bland¹

C15: from Latin blandus flattering

Example Sentences

Temperatures are dropping, grocery prices keep climbing, and there’s a small, almost alchemical satisfaction in transforming the blandest, cheapest grain in the aisle into a breakfast worth lingering over.

Read more on Salon

“The Predicament” is less immediately engaging; it suffers from a low-key opening and a bland title.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Fresh on the heels of another focus group and poll-tested report from the centrist Welcome PAC, the Democratic consultant class is once again arguing that the party should stick to bland policy platform-driven campaigns.

Read more on Salon

For many years, the broad convention has been that senior politicians who want to get near government keep their mouths diplomatically shut about the royals, aside from bland praise, or supportive quiet murmuring.

Read more on BBC

Thin characterizations, bland acting and a surfeit of bubbly cuteness combine to make a throw-pillow of a movie: It’s soft and decorative without being particularly useful or interesting.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• banal 
• boring 
• dull 
• insipid 
• tame 
• tedious 
• watery 
• white-bread 
• wishy-washy