stereotypical
adjective
ste·reo·typ·i·cal
ˌster-ē-ə-ˈti-pi-kəl 
1
or less commonly stereotypic
: conforming to a fixed or general pattern or type especially when of an oversimplified or prejudiced nature : of, relating to, or constituting a stereotype
Charlie Stuart represents a new breed of motorcyclists who are erasing the stereotypical black-leather-jacket, tough-guy image that plagued motorcyclists since the violent Hollywood productions of the Fifties.—
Sue Browder
Sue BrowderHis book concedes that progress has been made in a sheerly numerical sense, but it argues that overall the black presence on television has been an endless recycling of a passel of injuriously stereotypical images.—John McWhorter
John McWhorter2
or stereotypic
: of, relating to, or marked by stereotypy
a
medical
: characterized by frequent repetition of the same, typically purposeless movement, gesture, posture, or vocal sound or utterance
Other stereotypical behaviors such as hand flapping and chewing on clothing or objects may be connected to sensory processing problems or anxiety.—Cori Urban
Cori Urban… periodic leg movements during sleep, commonly known as nocturnal myoclonus—rapid, stereotypic, and periodic flexion of the legs and feet associated with repeated awakenings throughout the night.—Patricia N. Prinz et al.
Patricia N. Prinz et al.
b
veterinary medicine
: characterized by abnormal repetitive behavior
Many animals cope with unstimulating or small environments through stereotypic behavior … such as pacing, bar biting …—Laura Smith
Laura Smith
stereotypically
adverb
She wanted her staff to work together and get along. So on a hot July night, Katharine Graham did a stereotypically female thing: She threw a party.
—Judith M. Havemann
Judith M. Havemann
Examples of stereotypical in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The shows featured stereotypical portrayals of cowboys, Indians, military members and outlaws who performed horse tricks and skits, including staging the Battle of Little Bighorn.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, The Denver Post, 17 Nov. 2024
But parents also come up against stereotypical gender roles and expectations around parenting.
—Carolyn Highland, Outside Online, 10 Oct. 2024
In most cases, the bacteria stay within the gut and cause the stereotypical symptoms of food poisoning, such as diarrhea and vomiting.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
Grab your familiar and a pointed hat and take a peek at this:
The resemblance to, well, the head of a stereotypical witch is remarkable!
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stereotypical 
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Elizabeth Hernandez, The Denver Post, 17 Nov. 2024
But parents also come up against stereotypical gender roles and expectations around parenting.
—Carolyn Highland, Outside Online, 10 Oct. 2024
In most cases, the bacteria stay within the gut and cause the stereotypical symptoms of food poisoning, such as diarrhea and vomiting.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
Grab your familiar and a pointed hat and take a peek at this:
The resemblance to, well, the head of a stereotypical witch is remarkable!
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stereotypical
Articles Related to stereotypical
Dictionary Entries Near stereotypical
Cite this Entry
“Stereotypical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stereotypical. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
stereotypical
adjective
ste·reo·typ·i·cal
ˌster-ē-ə-ˈtip-i-kəl
variants
or stereotypic
: of, relating to, or marked by stereotypy:
a
: characterized by frequent repetition of the same, typically purposeless movement, gesture, posture, or vocal sound or utterance
Other stereotypical behaviors such as hand flapping and chewing on clothing or objects may be connected to sensory processing problems or anxiety.—Cori Urban
Cori Urban… periodic leg movements during sleep, commonly known as nocturnal myoclonus—rapid, stereotypic, and periodic flexion of the legs and feet associated with repeated awakenings throughout the night.—Patricia N. Prinz et al.
Patricia N. Prinz et al.
b
veterinary medicine
: characterized by abnormal repetitive behavior
Many animals cope with unstimulating or small environments through stereotypic behavior … such as pacing, bar biting, and Gus' figure-eight swimming.—Laura Smith
Laura SmithLove words? Need even more definitions?
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