trite
Americanadjective
-
lacking in freshness or effectiveness because of constant use or excessive repetition; hackneyed; stale.
the trite phrases in his letter.
- Synonyms:
- ordinary
- Antonyms:
- original
-
characterized by hackneyed expressions, ideas, etc..
The commencement address was trite and endlessly long.
-
Archaic. rubbed or worn by use.
adjective
-
hackneyed; dull
a trite comment
-
archaic frayed or worn out
Usage
What does trite mean? Trite describes something as being boring or ineffective because it is used so much, as in All politicians seem to make the same trite promises to be honest. Something that is trite is stale and worn out. It’s most often used to criticize or insult someone’s speech or writing ability. Example: This lecture kept going in circles and was so trite.
Synonym Usage
See commonplace.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of trite
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin trītus “worn, common,” past participle of terere “to rub, wear down”
Explanation
When you want to indicate that something is silly or overused, you would call it trite. A love song with lyrics about holding hands in the sunshine? Totally trite. Trite has a Latin root, the past participle of terere, meaning "wear out." An old-fashioned or outdated definition of the word is "frayed or worn out by use," and you can see how the meaning for an object that is worn out can be applied to an idea that has been used to the point of being meaningless. The antonym of this word is original.
Vocabulary lists containing trite
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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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.
Stocks, indexes, and call-option implied volatility are advancing to ever-higher highs, despite innumerable risks that are almost too trite to mention.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
It may sound trite to say that football is more than a game, but for those who remained in Ukraine, it is important to see representatives of their country succeed on the international stage.
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
Your friend will find something else; she doesn’t need a trite saying to confirm that.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026
“That sounds maybe trite or simple, but the only way we hold on to our democracy is if people continue to participate and continue to trust it and put their faith in it.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026
In books and movies they say, “Let’s talk about you,” or, “Tell me all about yourself”—but that is when they first meet, and seems trite anyway.
From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
