platitude

noun

ˈpla-tə-ˌtüd How to pronounce platitude (audio)
Definition of platitudenext
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

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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 At last week’s meeting, though, Warsh spoke largely in platitudes and generalizations. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Leaders must understand grief's unique, individual nature, avoiding assumptions or platitudes. — Mena Mirhom, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 The shorter run time also means some themes get reduced into syrup; the platitudes come as fast and furious as Tao and Elle’s breakups and makeups, with too little space to breathe in between. — Gemma Wilson, Boston Herald, 19 July 2026 There’s passable yet indistinguishable music in this exact style dropping every day, but the difference with Chicago’s Fatso is that his lyrics feel like scraps of conversations that communicate his hurt without leaning on platitudes. — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for platitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for platitude
  1. truism
  2. bromide
  3. banality
  4. commonplace
  5. trope
  6. saying
Noun
  • Wars cannot be fought on ideology alone – a truism that perhaps led to the firebrand former defense minister’s departure, after months of clashes and refusing to deal with the army top brass, as Zelensky describes it.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • But most politicians are pretty easily replaced, a truism that Moreno reinforced by going public.
    — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of truism
Noun
  • The team used a mixture of zinc chloride and lithium bromide salts to dissolve the cellulose.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The fire contained compounds from more than two dozen chemical families, including dangerous amounts of bromide, a naturally occurring element that can irritate the skin and mucus membranes.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of bromide
Noun
  • Then morning would come, with all the banalities that drew them apart.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Of course, when a person live-streams long enough, banality can eventually give way to horror.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of banality
Noun
  • Wolff was only the eighth woman to drive a Formula 1 car (four more have done it since); the role, a now-commonplace one that includes driving the simulator during Grand Prix weekends to inform trackside strategy, was created for her.
    — Danielle McNally, InStyle, 28 May 2026
  • The videos are often integrated into larger montages of drone strikes, underscoring how commonplace these drones have become for Russian forces.
    — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
Definition of commonplace
Noun
  • But despite tropes that paint our era as one of apathy and distraction, our reporting shows agency – individuals and communities putting aside differences to demand both fairness and the ability to define what matters.
    — Stephanie Hanes, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Even today Guadalajara's most forward-looking designers continue to experiment with these deeply rooted tropes, from the lyrical modulation of their city's radiant light to the proud application of local oficios.
    — Michael Snyder, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of trope
Noun
  • Well, ‘It’s been emotional’ has become one of the British icon sayings of movie history, which is fantastic.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
  • As the saying goes, the shortest way through a storm is straight.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of saying

Browse Nearby Words

platings
platitude
platitudes
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Cite this Entry

“Platitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/platitude. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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