as in cliché
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
"blondes have more fun" is a silly platitude
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 platitude
Eritrea had trounced Zanzibar to reach the semi-finals of the CECAFA Under-20 Championship — consisting of national teams from east and central African nations — when, amid the celebrations and platitudes from government officials back home, the players made their move.
—
Nick Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
This was an Alysa Liu celebration in Oakland, so a parade of stiff speakers and flowery platitudes would not suffice.
—Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 Mar. 2026
Well, Texas is good on offense and little else, and to his credit Miller isn't hiding behind platitudes about where this thing can go one day or what must happen over these next few weeks.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
Li shook hands with Whitmarsh and exchanged platitudes with the other guests.
—Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for platitude
Nick Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
This was an Alysa Liu celebration in Oakland, so a parade of stiff speakers and flowery platitudes would not suffice.
—Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 Mar. 2026
Well, Texas is good on offense and little else, and to his credit Miller isn't hiding behind platitudes about where this thing can go one day or what must happen over these next few weeks.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
Li shook hands with Whitmarsh and exchanged platitudes with the other guests.
—Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for platitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for platitude
Noun
-
But, travel experts say, that truism doesn't apply during this tumultuous period.—
ANDREA SACHS THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
29 Mar. 2026
-
That is a truism of NFL free agency.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The bromide has it that a liberal is a person who won’t take his own side in an argument.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In Cuba today, Marxist bromides serve as nothing more than rhetorical cover for corruption.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The banality of her words about Ma Binney was terrible.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
-
The scale and range of Dominique Pelicot’s partners in crime showed the terrible banality of their acts, and how easily society had allowed them.—
Gaby Wood,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
By the time Szeemann was invited to organize two consecutive installments of the Venice Biennale (in 1999 and 2001), the criticism of curators’ assuming the role of meta-artists, in Szeemann’s case with quasi-shamanistic aspirations, had become a commonplace.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
But little things can turn the commonplace into tragedy.—
Dave Duffey,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Epic historical fiction, dark academia, and the quirkiest 90s throwback, each novel showcasing a different facet of the slow burn trope.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Still others are repeating the same tropes that have plagued college sports for more than a decade.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But as the saying goes, one data report is just a signal; two is a pattern; three months, really, is what tells you the trend.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In fact, there’s a saying among gardeners that perennials sleep, creep, leap.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Platitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/platitude. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
