platitude

American  

[plat-i-tood, -tyood] / ˈplæt ɪˌtud, -ˌtyud /

noun

1. a flat, dull, or trite remark, especially one uttered as if it were fresh or profound.

   Synonyms:

   truism, cliché

2. the quality or state of being flat, dull, or trite.

   the platitude of most political oratory.

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platitude British  

/ ˈplætɪˌtjuːd /

noun

1. a trite, dull, or obvious remark or statement; a commonplace

2. staleness or insipidity of thought or language; triteness

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Other Word Forms

• platitudinous adjective

Etymology

Origin of platitude

First recorded in 1805–15; from French: literally, “flatness,” equivalent to plat “flat” ( plate ¹ ) + -itude -tude ( def. )

Example Sentences

You won’t find any of the good-natured platitudes of a body swap comedy like “Freakier Friday” here.

From Salon

The danger is that these platitudes ignore human and organizational psychology, the real thoughts buried in the workplace.

From The Wall Street Journal

The emptiness of such platitudes in this moment leaves much to be desired.

From Salon

What makes the upcoming pageantry and platitudes remarkable is the country’s mood.

From Salon

But amid the platitudes, sadness and shock is calcifying into anger and tension.

From BBC

Related Words

• banality
• bromide