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Definition of hackneyednext

hackneyed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of hackney
as in exhausted
to use so much as to make less appealing advertisers have hackneyed the word "revolutionary" so much that it now just means that a product is new

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective hackneyed differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of hackneyed are stereotyped, threadbare, and trite. While all these words mean "lacking the freshness that evokes attention or interest," hackneyed stresses being worn out by overuse so as to become dull and meaningless.

all of the metaphors and images in the poem are hackneyed

When is stereotyped a more appropriate choice than hackneyed?

Although the words stereotyped and hackneyed have much in common, stereotyped implies falling invariably into the same pattern or form.

views of minorities that are stereotyped and out-of-date

When would threadbare be a good substitute for hackneyed?

The meanings of threadbare and hackneyed largely overlap; however, threadbare applies to what has been used until its possibilities of interest have been totally exhausted.

a mystery novel with a threadbare plot

When might trite be a better fit than hackneyed?

While the synonyms trite and hackneyed are close in meaning, trite applies to a once effective phrase or idea spoiled from long familiarity.

"you win some, you lose some" is a trite expression

How does the adjective hackneyed differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of hackneyed are stereotyped, threadbare, and trite. While all these words mean "lacking the freshness that evokes attention or interest," hackneyed stresses being worn out by overuse so as to become dull and meaningless.

all of the metaphors and images in the poem are hackneyed

When is stereotyped a more appropriate choice than hackneyed?

Although the words stereotyped and hackneyed have much in common, stereotyped implies falling invariably into the same pattern or form.

views of minorities that are stereotyped and out-of-date

When would threadbare be a good substitute for hackneyed?

The meanings of threadbare and hackneyed largely overlap; however, threadbare applies to what has been used until its possibilities of interest have been totally exhausted.

a mystery novel with a threadbare plot

When might trite be a better fit than hackneyed?

While the synonyms trite and hackneyed are close in meaning, trite applies to a once effective phrase or idea spoiled from long familiarity.

"you win some, you lose some" is a trite expression

Example 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 hackneyed
Adjective
On the first real mission in the jungle region of Fury Green, Samus encounters a Galactic Federation technician named Myles Mackenzie who, from his reveal in the pre-release previews, became a sticking point for fans due to his hackneyed sidekick trappings. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 2 Dec. 2025 Unfortunately though, Cooper can’t escape certain hackneyed biopic tropes in representing the songwriting, which are almost impossible to avoid. Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 23 Oct. 2025 The story revolves around this character in ways that feel hackneyed and forced. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 Trauma is not a hackneyed literary trope in the work of Miriam Toews. Lorrie Moore, The New York Review of Books, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hackneyed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hackneyed
Adjective
  • Kelly Enders-Tharp, a three-time surrogate and education and experience specialist at Growing Generations, explains that surrogates are often stereotyped, or that their backgrounds are misrepresented.
    Kris Ann Valdez, Parents, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Later, Lenape artist Joe Baker places cutout photographs of his ancestors over the stereotyped images of Native Americans found in the wallpaper.
    Tom McDonough, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, the man captaining the boat that gets her into the Amazon is possessed by thoughts of a lost love, a story even a head-in-her-hands Tereza is exhausted by.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Apr. 2026
  • And what if the low-hanging fruit is exhausted and settlements become harder to come by?
    Adam Summers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • For workers who are tired of their jobs following them home every night, and for businesses that are tired of the burnout, the turnover, and the chaos that comes from not having boundaries, Zenzap is the work chat app that changes everything.
    Jason Phillips, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • One still gets tired of the Wednesday rice and fish dish.
    Jeremy O. Harris, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Brenner pointed out that across all three enterprises, there is a need to fulfill customer desires for optionality above all else, even as same-day delivery becomes more commonplace among delivery providers.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Moore’s demo may seem far-fetched, but the future of these privacy intrusions may become commonplace.
    Justyn Newman, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Dallas’ blue line has more depth in terms of numbers, but its top three producers have been overused.
    Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026
  • So, if the idea of culture is overused, its importance tells the path to success — or failure.
    Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Hughes had been asked to write for trite Hollywood productions like Sol Lesser’s 1939 film Way Down South.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
  • That’s all well and good, but the series still needs a sturdy narrative to hold it all together, rather than ping-ponging between random subjects offering trite, emotionally hollow morality lessons.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Nobody should be bored with that.
    Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Lululemon seems to acknowledge that some customers are getting bored with the brand.
    Phil Wahba, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The private credit industry has been roiled in recent months by concerns that it is overexposed to the software industry – an area that’s been under pressure over fears of disintermediation from artificial intelligence.
    Leslie Picker, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Journalists related stories to Brown of the future princess giving them the slip, joking with them, managing her media relations so she wouldn’t be overexposed or maligned.
    Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 23 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hackneyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hackneyed. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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