1
as in cliche
used or heard so often as to be dull
viewers were bored by the stale story lines of the new crop of sitcoms
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest
the sequel is basically a stale remake of the first movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stale
When critical moments occur, organizations can respond with a clear, informed approach based on accurate and reliable information rather than making rash decisions based on stale data or gut feelings.
—
Sean Brophy, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
However, some stale shooting from the team in the second quarter allowed Golden State to close the deficit from 20 points to four at the half, before the Warriors took off in the third to control the game.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 30 Oct. 2024
Three: in the stale air of the tween decks, my grandmother, a young woman who has just survived the Second World War, plays four color cards with other women in an enclave constructed with their belongings.
—Zining Mok, Longreads, 22 Oct. 2024
This source, perhaps the most specific of this list, pushes further against the idea of tourism and travel being distinct, particularly when the traveler perpetuates a stale, white-savior trope through their writing.
—Tyler Thier, JSTOR Daily, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stale 
Sean Brophy, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
However, some stale shooting from the team in the second quarter allowed Golden State to close the deficit from 20 points to four at the half, before the Warriors took off in the third to control the game.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 30 Oct. 2024
Three: in the stale air of the tween decks, my grandmother, a young woman who has just survived the Second World War, plays four color cards with other women in an enclave constructed with their belongings.
—Zining Mok, Longreads, 22 Oct. 2024
This source, perhaps the most specific of this list, pushes further against the idea of tourism and travel being distinct, particularly when the traveler perpetuates a stale, white-savior trope through their writing.
—Tyler Thier, JSTOR Daily, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stale
Adjective
-
Most of this long flashback segment is pretty boring, though.Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2024
-
Toyota and Honda have at times been called boring: Honda by its own engineers, Toyota more famously by a chairman descended from the company’s founder.Robert Ferris, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Chicano artists also critically reexamined stereotyped figures, such as the pachuco and pachuca, and retold current and historic events through artworks that questioned hegemonic narratives.Mary Thomas, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019
-
Covino is also tasked with the least comedic role and excels at imbuing his character with enough nuance to be the one actor who transcends the script’s stereotyped trappings.Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2024
Adjective
-
The show skips across the decades, dramatizing the interviews an older Dolours (Maxine Peake) did for a Boston College oral history of the Troubles, which were taped with the promise that they would be released only after participants’ deaths.Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
-
By contrast, the prospect of citizenships and alliances—and perhaps conquests or crusades—structured around the opinions, beliefs, and subjective identities of ordinary people in times of peace would require a new (or very old) conception of empire.Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
But the media's use of the tired relegation narrative to generate jeopardy misses a broader, more interesting question about what drove the Catalan to commit more emphatically than his last two deals.Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
-
The upcoming holiday season is the perfect excuse to upgrade your tired cookware collection and kitchen appliances.Maggie Horton, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Similarly, listening as a member of a large audience or having to listen for a long time was also tiring.Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
-
Working while speaking was more annoying but less tiring than silence and noise.Dominique Fluker, Essence, 15 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
Revelations that are supposed to be moving and heartfelt feel hackneyed and clichéd, and it’s not helped by Shyamalan’s amateurish performance.Will Leitch, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2024
-
Wan bodies the haunted house subgenre here, creating an immersive atmosphere grounded in masterful storytelling and a scrupulous '70s mise-en-scène, one that earns all of its scares by avoiding hackneyed stunts and over-the-top theatrics.Danny Horn, James Mercadante, Ilana Gordon, EW.com, 31 July 2024
Adjective
-
Without outside support, pro-democracy activists inside the country faced increasing repression and were unable to convince the weary public that democracy was worth fighting for.Sarah E. Yerkes, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2024
-
Fostering independence: These electronic devices can offer respite to weary parents, but only if their kids can use them independently.Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
The shutter speed of the 6X zoom is relatively slow in low light conditions, resulting in blurry shots more often than with, say, the Vivo X200 Pro.Ben Sin, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
-
Now starts a transitional phase, which is simultaneously slow and fast.Camila Domonoske, NPR, 22 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near stale
Cite this Entry
“Stale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stale. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share