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.

Usually engaged in anodyne activities, they present idealized versions of childhood: full of stereotypical sweetness, innocence and light.

From Los Angeles Times

‘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

He says the film gave the brothers an opportunity to challenge stereotypical representations of Nigeria.

From BBC

“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” casts Minneapolis as progressive and neighborly, a bustling metropolis located between stereotypical Midwestern patriarchal stubbornness and a feminist future.

From Salon

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

From Barron's

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