threadbare

adjective

ˈthred-ˌber How to pronounce threadbare (audio)
Definition of threadbarenext
1
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect bought a threadbare couch at a garage sale

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2
as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull a novel filled with nothing but threadbare clichés

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3
as in tattered
worn or torn into or as if into rags I loved that threadbare shirt, but after 10 years of wear, it was time to throw it away

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4
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions never knew that she had so many threadbare relatives until she won the lottery

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective threadbare differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of threadbare are hackneyed, stereotyped, and trite. While all these words mean "lacking the freshness that evokes attention or interest," threadbare applies to what has been used until its possibilities of interest have been totally exhausted.

a mystery novel with a threadbare plot

When is it sensible to use hackneyed instead of threadbare?

The words hackneyed and threadbare can be used in similar contexts, but 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

In what contexts can stereotyped take the place of threadbare?

In some situations, the words stereotyped and threadbare are roughly equivalent. However, stereotyped implies falling invariably into the same pattern or form.

views of minorities that are stereotyped and out-of-date

When could trite be used to replace threadbare?

The synonyms trite and threadbare are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 threadbare The messaging effort comes as Republicans scramble to hold onto threadbare congressional majorities in the November midterms. — Steven Sloan, Fortune, 2 July 2026 If they're stained, threadbare, or no longer absorb water, consider retiring them. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 1 July 2026 Critics say Beijing’s promise to allow the city to maintain its Western-style civil liberties after the 1997 handover is increasingly threadbare. — ABC News, 24 June 2026 In fashion terms, this involves grabbing that six-pack of seamless underwear to replace your now-threadbare collection, or else replenishing your leggings drawer with new, chic picks whose buttery softness will stand the test of time. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for threadbare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for threadbare
  1. dilapidated
  2. stereotyped
  3. tattered
  4. impoverished
  5. neglected
  6. tired
  7. ragged
  8. poor
Adjective
  • This year alone, the Kansas City Fire Department has put out 24 fires in the vacant, dilapidated complex.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Velasco says corruption and low oil prices in the early 2000s contributed to the dilapidated state of Venezuela's facilities.
    — Willa Rubin, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of dilapidated
Adjective
  • Despite their outer appearances and oftentimes stereotyped personalities, the ladies embrace each other’s depths and contradictions.
    — Meagan Jordan, VIBE.com, 10 July 2026
  • This is a directed, stereotyped behavior in which the highest-resolution region of the somatosensory surface is brought to bear on the object requiring the most detailed analysis.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Definition of stereotyped
Adjective
  • On a recent afternoon, the lanky, mustachioed Zucker, wearing a T-shirt, ballcap and small hoop earrings, bears little resemblance to his comic alter ego who sports a tattered suit with gag props stuffed in every pocket.
    — Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • For weeks, migrants in the Spanish territory of Ceuta had gathered on a beach away from the city center, sleeping on cardboard sheets, under reed huts and guarding their few possessions in tattered plastic bags.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of tattered
Adjective
  • But perhaps the most impressive thing the seemingly tireless Parton did during her 80 years was donate much of her wealth to impoverished communities.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The loosened restrictions will not empower Washington to pursue investment and economic cooperation with al Sharaa’s government, which could transform the impoverished country.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of impoverished
Adjective
  • Investors and analysts are increasingly looking to other parts of the market, both to find neglected sources of value and to start assuming a defensive posture against a possible downturn.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • Changing their environment is more reliable and more neglected.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of neglected
Adjective
  • Pinterest says Gen Z and Millennials are putting their own spins on trends rather than copying them, a sign that visible under-eyes and lived-in finishes could outlast the tired girl label itself.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Republican president looks increasingly tired and running out of steam, has not introduced any major new initiatives and could see the political writing on the wall.
    — Joe Battenfeld, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • James roves among the attackers’ perspectives before and during the event, his experimental style, psychological acuity, and ragged lyricism on display.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Bristol Type 6, marked by ragged, jagged or fluffy edges, indicates stool moved through the colon too fast for water absorption.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of ragged
Adjective
  • Dozens of companies have withdrawn over the past decades due to poor profits, an uncertain business outlook and concerns about harm to their reputations from making arms, especially lethal weapons.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Along the way, the audience can expect tons of humiliation, terrible second prizes, and the guarantee that Robertson will turn at least one poor soul's wrong turn into several minutes of unhinged public destruction.
    — Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of poor

Browse Nearby Words

thread
threadbare
threaded
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Cite this Entry

“Threadbare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threadbare. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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