clichéd

American  

[klee-sheyd, kli-] / kliˈʃeɪd, klɪ- /

adjective

1. full of or characterized by clichés.

   a clichéd, boring speech.

2. representing or expressing a cliché or stereotype; trite; hackneyed; commonplace.

   the old clichéd argument that girls are more affectionate than boys.

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Etymology

Origin of clichéd

First recorded in 1925–30; cliché ( def. ) + -ed ³

Explanation

When something is cliched, you've heard it a million times before — it's overused and unoriginal. Your English teacher might advise you to avoid cliched sayings in your essays. You'll know when a phrase is cliched, because it will sound extremely familiar. "Every cloud has a silver lining," "think outside the box," and "there are plenty of fish in the sea" are all cliched. These are fine to use in casual speech, or in an ironic way, but you shouldn't use them in formal writing. Many people mistakenly use the noun cliche as an adjective, instead of cliched.

Example Sentences

Film critics knocked “Michael” for its clichéd storytelling and skating over abuse allegations, but at movie theaters, costumes and moonwalking abound.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

The film’s title translates to “national treasure,” another clichéd term thrown around when trying to categorize greatness.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

And yes, you best believe he is not singing any pop genre that an NYU sophomore would like, but instead treacly worship music with painfully clichéd lyrics.

From Salon • Jan. 12, 2026

Many called it a fine example of cultural collaboration, but others argued it relied heavily on clichéd imagery and lacked authentic representation of India.

From BBC • Jul. 18, 2025

“At the risk of sounding clichéd, I’ve been expecting you.”

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer