← Dictionary

cliche

/kliːˈʃeɪ/
IELTSAcademic
noun

A phrase or idea used too often, so it feels unoriginal and boring.

  • It is a cliche to say time heals everything.
  • That movie plot is a tired cliche.

Adinary Nuance

Near-neighbors show how cliche differs from related words. Use cliche for overused ideas, not just common ones. Unlike stock phrases, this implies tired repetition, not neutral reuse.

In other languages

Spanish
Lugar común
Japanese
陈腐な表現
Korean
흔한 표현
Vietnamese
Cliche, ngôn từ cũ kỹ
Chinese
陈词滥调

Common phrases

cliche expressionoverused clichea tired clichecliche narrative

Synonyms

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between cliche and trope?
Is cliche formal or informal?
Is cliche common in academic writing?
Can cliche be used for stories?