as in stereotyped
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
Sun-faded and well-worn, a great pair of distressed jeans can tell a story in its patches and tears.
—
Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026
Nearly a decade later, the show’s schtick has become arguably well-worn, with storylines borrowing from its past seasons nearly as much as popular '80s fare.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 3 Dec. 2025
Customers looking to personalize or rework their new or well-worn boots can pay a visit to the store’s Repair & Customisation Bar and learn about the brand’s partnership with The Boot Repair Company.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 26 Nov. 2025
The statistic is well-worn, even after an off week.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
The bat, which was well-worn, had some discoloration around the barrel.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Sep. 2025
The scuffed and well-worn bag, a prototype created for Birkin, is the only one of its kind with a non-removable shoulder strap and attached nail clipper, illustrative of the bohemian effortlessness that garnered Birkin her fame.
—India Brown, Robb Report, 10 July 2025
The New York subway system was one of Keith Haring’s most beloved and well-worn canvases.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024
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.
—Jeff Miller, Variety, 12 Sep. 2024
Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026
Nearly a decade later, the show’s schtick has become arguably well-worn, with storylines borrowing from its past seasons nearly as much as popular '80s fare.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 3 Dec. 2025
Customers looking to personalize or rework their new or well-worn boots can pay a visit to the store’s Repair & Customisation Bar and learn about the brand’s partnership with The Boot Repair Company.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 26 Nov. 2025
The statistic is well-worn, even after an off week.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
The bat, which was well-worn, had some discoloration around the barrel.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Sep. 2025
The scuffed and well-worn bag, a prototype created for Birkin, is the only one of its kind with a non-removable shoulder strap and attached nail clipper, illustrative of the bohemian effortlessness that garnered Birkin her fame.
—India Brown, Robb Report, 10 July 2025
The New York subway system was one of Keith Haring’s most beloved and well-worn canvases.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024
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.
—Jeff Miller, Variety, 12 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for well-worn
Adjective
-
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
-
Several leaders described the pressure of being both highly visible and easily stereotyped.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
While a few icons have grown tired (like the Fontainebleau Miami Beach and Eden Roc Miami Beach, missing from this list), several have recently poured money into renovations, including the Mayfair House and Gardens; Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, which just reopened; and the Delano Miami.—
Devorah Lev-Tov,
Robb Report,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Bell remembered during the Stars on Ice tour in 2022 when the skaters rolled into a new city, tired, groggy and sore from the long bus ride, Liu, dressed in a baggy hoodie and billowing sweatpants, could go on the ice and throw perfect jumps without warning.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This is actually better than some of the hackneyed rom-coms Reiner muddled through, a coming-of-age story about two kids’ pseudo-love story from grade school through middle school.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
16 Dec. 2025
-
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
Adjective
-
All-cash offers, including in Boise and its surrounding suburbs, became commonplace and spurred bidding wars that drove up housing prices, Michael Megis, a longtime broker also with the Homes of Idaho real estate firm, said in an interview.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
-
McTier said Disney’s deal with OpenAI is an example of the kind of partnership that should become more commonplace.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are known as obligatory days of abstinence.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
2 Feb. 2026
-
The obligatory army of A-list funny people (Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler, Sarah Silverman, Dave Chappelle operating at minimal annoyingness) assembles to praise him in this two-part doc from directors Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Well-worn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well-worn. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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