as in cliché
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
"blondes have more fun" is a silly platitude
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Recent Examples of platitude
But when platitudes aren’t backed by action, the disparity between branding and behavior becomes impossible to ignore.
—
Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 17 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for platitude
Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 17 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for platitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for platitude
Noun
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Ever since, intelligence officers have ruefully invoked that truism whenever they’re blamed for a major screwup.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2026
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But, travel experts say, that truism doesn't apply during this tumultuous period.—
ANDREA SACHS THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The bromide invites teachers to underestimate their students.—
Steven F. Wilson,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
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While these songs might appear to be somewhat straightforward EBM that wear their politics on their latex sleeve, there’s a level of ambiguity at work that moves Kissing Luck Goodbye past its own bromides and into deeper artistic territory.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the last few decades, that swagger seems to have collapsed under the weight of a tepid banality.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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One effect of this austerity and repression is to focus attention on Albee’s language, with its slippery banalities and barbs.—
Steven Winn,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the early 2000s, Sears began to use its website — the new iteration of its catalog — to help pioneer the now-commonplace practices of buying goods online and picking them up in store.—
Domenica Bongiovanni,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
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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
Noun
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These are, in fact, common tropes of fiction going at least as far back as Bernard Malamud’s novel The Natural.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
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Buddy embraces the aesthetic of classic children’s television —complete with catchy songs and familiar tropes — before subverting it with a relentless descent into madness.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As the saying goes, any publicity is good publicity.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
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There is an old saying that people who represent themselves in court effectively have a fool for a lawyer.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Platitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/platitude. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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