stereotypical

American

[ster-ee-uh-tip-i-kuhl, steer-] / ˌstɛr i əˈtɪp ɪ kəl, ˌstɪər- /

Also stereotypic

adjective

portraying a simplified and standardized conception or image, often one that is construed as derogatory.

She is frustrated by the shallow and stereotypical roles that she is offered as an Asian actor.
The stereotypical environmentalist is a white dude wearing sandals and tie-dye.

Other Word Forms

nonstereotypic adjective
nonstereotypical adjective

Etymology

Origin of stereotypical

stereotyp(e) ( def. ) + -ical ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"You may see the stereotypical pencil point trees that they've started to fell or to coppice," Jasper said.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

These had to feel like real people with stereotypical flair, teenagers who were boxed into a category simply because that’s what high school social politics demand.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

‘Valentine’s Day is no longer all about roses and rosé … the stereotypical cliché gifts of the past are shifting to those that actually make everyday sense.’

From MarketWatch • Feb. 13, 2026

"Queer characters are often flat, one-sided and stereotypical," but the leads in "Heated Rivalry" are "complex," he said.

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

The characters in Stowe’s story, though stereotypical, humanized enslaved Black people for white nineteenth-century readers.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023