cliché

or cli·che

[ klee-shey, kli- ]

noun

1. a trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse, as sadder but wiser, or strong as an ox.

   Synonyms: commonplace, stereotype, bromide, platitude

2. (in art, literature, drama, etc.) a trite or hackneyed plot, character development, use of color, musical expression, etc.
3. anything that has become trite or commonplace through overuse.
4. British Printing.
   1. a stereotype or electrotype plate.
   2. a reproduction made in a like manner.

adjective

1. trite; hackneyed; stereotyped; clichéd.

cliché

/ ˈkliːʃeɪ /

noun

1. a word or expression that has lost much of its force through overexposure, as for example the phrase

   it's got to get worse before it gets better

2. an idea, action, or habit that has become trite from overuse
3. printing a stereotype or electrotype plate

cliché

1. A much used expression that has lost its freshness and descriptive power. Some clichés are “I thank you from the bottom of my heart” and “It's only a drop in the bucket.”

Derived Forms

• ˈclichéd, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cliché¹

First recorded in 1825–35; from French: “stereotype plate, stencil,” noun use of past participle of clicher “to make a stereotype plate,” said to be imitative of the sound of the metal pressed against the matrix

Word History and Origins

Origin of cliché¹

C19: from French, from clicher to stereotype; imitative of the sound made by the matrix when it is dropped into molten metal

Example Sentences

Yes, it’s practically a cliché these days, as meditation gets lobbed at us as the cure for everything from overeating to the pain of tough workouts.

From Outside Online

I have acted out my favorite athlete cliché, the one in which a player emerges from the offseason claiming to be in the best shape of his life.

From Washington Post

For dancers like Krishnan — who has lived in North America for the past 30 years — it’s still frustrating when he’s “boxed into annoying” clichés that ask him to act out his heritage.

From Ozy

One that also would fit right in, as the gear-copy cliché goes, at the bar afterward.

From Outside Online

At a time when we’ve already exhausted all the clichés about the trials of 2020, Kipchoge losing a marathon seems like further proof that the time is out of joint.

From Outside Online

Normally, the idea that a work is “timeless” is both praise and empty cliche.

From The Daily Beast

Or maybe both cultures got off on a glorious combination of cliche and novelty, even if they disagreed on which was which.

From The Daily Beast

I'm not sure that artist-chosen shows are of that much curatorial or art-historical use, and anyway they've become a cliche.

From The Daily Beast

This is a very different situation that cannot be wished away by an increasingly cliche-ridden "moral defense of capitalism."

From The Daily Beast

I realize how cliche and seemingly insufficient that sounds.

From The Daily Beast

Von Schlichten described the situation succinctly, in an ancient and unprintable military cliche.

From Project Gutenberg

The beautiful casts of the French medals known to all electrotypers as Cliche moulds are in the alloy No. 3.

From Project Gutenberg

As the cliche goes, "With enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow."

From Project Gutenberg

First, Engraved plate or Cliche representing the ornament with which the edge is to be decorated.

From Project Gutenberg

Apart from the comfortable cliche in which she was seen enfolded, Sanchia pleased the eye.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Cliche

What does cliché mean?

A cliché is an expression, idea, or action that has been overused to the point of seeming worn out, stale, ineffective, or meaningless. It especially refers to common phrases and elements of art, such as a movie plot.

Cliché can also be used as an adjective to describe such things. It is very often seen as cliche, without the accent mark over the e.

Example: Politicians’ speeches are often filled with one cliché after another so they don’t actually have to say anything meaningful.

Where does cliché come from?

The first recorded use of cliché meaning “an overused expression” comes from the 1880s. But cliché was originally used (earlier in the 1800s) in the context of printing to refer to a type of metal plate used to reproduce images. This word was borrowed directly from the French word cliché, which had this meaning and was based on the French word clicher, meaning “to make such a plate.” Interestingly, this device was also called a stereotype, a term that also went on to have a figurative meaning dealing with repeated ideas.

Such printing methods eventually went out of fashion, but the association with mass duplication stuck. Just as a printing machine creates copies of images over and over, a cliché is something that has been used over and over again.

Most commonly, cliché is used to refer to an expression or phrase that has been overused, especially to the point that it has lost its impact; think outside the box, actions speak louder than words, for all intents and purposes—these are all expressions that are clichés. Writers are often taught to avoid these kinds of clichés in their writing, but fiction writers and other artists often also try to avoid another kind of cliché: the stale idea. It’s hard to be original, but some things have been done to death. Explosions in action movies or a couple kissing at the end of a love story are two examples of well-worn clichés.

Things that are overdone can be described with the adjective cliché, as in Pro athletes talking about giving 110 percent and overcoming adversity is so cliché. Cliché can also be used to describe commonly done things in everyday life, as in I know it’s a cliché, but I can’t do anything before I have my coffee or Would it be cliché if I sent her flowers? 

A person who follows all the most popular trends or who lives a very conventional lifestyle may be called a walking cliché. Truth be told, maybe that’s just the way it is. Everything’s been done. There’s nothing new under the sun. It is what it is. So just live and let live, you know?

For more examples of clichés, look here.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of cliché?

• cliche (alternate spelling)
• clichés (plural)
• clichéd

What are some synonyms for cliché?

• platitude
• bromide
• commonplace
• trite
• hackneyed
• banal
• platitudinous
• well-worn

What are some words that often get used in discussing cliché?

• overused
• expression
• phrase
• idea
• meaningless
• boring
• plot

How is cliché used in real life?

Clichés are present in all aspects of life. Writing, everyday conversations, TV shows, movies, books—clichés are everywhere.

“Like moths to a flame” is a well worn cliche, but “Empire” takes things to the next level by adding “Like birds to a pane of glass”. That sparrow going *thunk* against the patio window? That is our love, baby.

— Robyn Gallagher (@robynesc) February 23, 2020

A previously unknown letter written by Albert Camus expresses the need for liberty not as a commonplace cliché but as a condition that fills our lives.https://t.co/QGRLzC82iI

— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) February 21, 2020

"You should try automatic drawing to free up your creativity- allow your unconscious mind to take over and free yourself of rational barriers and cliche"

me: pic.twitter.com/OLuLUYdtOj

— Alex Norris (@dorrismccomics) February 20, 2020

 

 

Try using cliché!

Which of the following words best describes a cliché?

A. innovative
B. fresh
C. original
D. trite