as in cliche
used or heard so often as to be dull
people at the funeral offered the grieving family well-worn platitudes and expressions of sympathy
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Recent Examples of well-worn
The we’re-never-going-to-play-together-again-to-lucrative-reunion trail is well-worn at this point — just ask such famously feuding acts as the Eagles, Guns ‘N Roses, Pixies and, most recently and famously, Oasis: If there’s a windfall, there’s a way.
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Jeff Miller, Variety, 12 Sep. 2024
The ship generally looks good for its age, but some parts appeared well-worn.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 16 June 2024
An inter-generational audience of 200 attendees gathered at Oak Park’s Guild Theater, many with copies of The 1619 Project book, some well-worn, adorned with bookmarks and annotations, and others had never been opened before, having been bought minutes earlier at the entrance booth in preparation.
—Acsah Lemma, Sacramento Bee, 18 June 2024
Costume designer Kiyoshi Shaw provides outfits that helpfully remind you of the show’s early 20th century time period yet also seem natural, comfortable and well-worn.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 May 2024
After the Renaissance and Impressionism, maybe the most well-worn.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
So, of course, this means Christina Aguilera could not possibly continue on this now well-worn — albeit still undeniably chic — path.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 5 Feb. 2024
The story of Peter and Harry’s tense friendship is not nearly as well-worn as the deaths of Peter’s Uncle Ben or Batman’s parents.
—Gene Park, Washington Post, 16 Oct. 2023
He’s spoken about his experience working at Twitter on This American Life and in op-eds for the New York Times, so a lot of his interview was well-worn.
—Bykylie Robison, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2023
Jeff Miller, Variety, 12 Sep. 2024
The ship generally looks good for its age, but some parts appeared well-worn.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 16 June 2024
An inter-generational audience of 200 attendees gathered at Oak Park’s Guild Theater, many with copies of The 1619 Project book, some well-worn, adorned with bookmarks and annotations, and others had never been opened before, having been bought minutes earlier at the entrance booth in preparation.
—Acsah Lemma, Sacramento Bee, 18 June 2024
Costume designer Kiyoshi Shaw provides outfits that helpfully remind you of the show’s early 20th century time period yet also seem natural, comfortable and well-worn.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 May 2024
After the Renaissance and Impressionism, maybe the most well-worn.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
So, of course, this means Christina Aguilera could not possibly continue on this now well-worn — albeit still undeniably chic — path.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 5 Feb. 2024
The story of Peter and Harry’s tense friendship is not nearly as well-worn as the deaths of Peter’s Uncle Ben or Batman’s parents.
—Gene Park, Washington Post, 16 Oct. 2023
He’s spoken about his experience working at Twitter on This American Life and in op-eds for the New York Times, so a lot of his interview was well-worn.
—Bykylie Robison, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for well-worn
Adjective
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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
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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
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In difficult listening situations, participants described feeling physically and mentally tired.Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
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But towards the end of the day, when everyone is sufficiently tired out, Webb says there's nothing better than sitting down and winding down together.Alyce Collins, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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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
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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
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Since its passage, property and retail theft have skyrocketed, with flash mobs becoming commonplace at shopping centers to steal goods.Diane Dixon, Orange County Register, 15 Oct. 2024
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And the day will come when speaking the truth and advocating for justice will be commonplace and not dangerous in Russia.Alexei Navalny, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near well-worn
Cite this Entry
“Well-worn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well-worn. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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