How to Use platitude in a Sentence

platitude

noun
  • His speech was filled with familiar platitudes about the value of hard work and dedication.
  • This ideal is not some musty platitude whose time has passed.
    — Lawrence B. Solum, Star Tribune, 19 Oct. 2020
  • In such a realm, the tenet that no one is above the law is a mere platitude, if not an inanity.
    — Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2023
  • But such statements are seen by many in Ukraine as platitudes.
    — Kostiantyn Khudov, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2023
  • That sentiment might sound like a platitude from a rich rock star.
    — John Blake, CNN, 8 Nov. 2022
  • Not the word kindness, not the platitudes.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026
  • This isn’t the time for platitudes and promises for the future.
    — Christian Datoc, Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2024
  • His speech was short on specifics and full of optimistic platitudes.
    — Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2024
  • The mice greet this with a shrug, mouth vague platitudes, and go on the talk-show circuit anyway.
    — Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023
  • After a few more platitudes, the lady of the hour strides to the podium.
    — Donna M. Owens, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2020
  • Retreats have this effect on a person, bring out in you the worst platitudes.
    — Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 6 May 2025
  • To many, the mural seemed from the outset little more than a platitude in place of progress.
    — Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Mar. 2025
  • No politician may come and simply repeat the platitude of thoughts and prayers.
    — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 25 May 2022
  • From anyone else, that might have been a platitude the minute Vermeil walked away.
    — Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2022
  • There's no script to speak of, just a pastiche of platitudes about the tumultuous decade.
    — Andrea Simakis, cleveland.com, 13 May 2018
  • His life was far more complicated than can be summed up in platitudes or words on a statue.
    — Michael Kranish, Washington Post, 2 June 2017
  • The sports world is cluttered with meaningless clichés and false platitudes.
    — George Diaz, OrlandoSentinel.com, 21 Jan. 2018
  • But when this team broke camp, their goal was not to speak in glass-half-full platitudes in late September.
    — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Sep. 2025
  • This feels like the kind of platitude that’s easy to believe yet impossible to prove.
    — Karen Kaplanscience and Medicine Editor, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2022
  • Of course, my toast had been a platitude, open-ended to accommodate any wish.
    — Ayşegül Savaş, The New Yorker, 14 July 2024
  • Nathanson plumps the story with platitudes and moments that could lead to, well, more franchising.
    — Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024
  • Li shook hands with Whitmarsh and exchanged platitudes with the other guests.
    — Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Google is famous for dodging questions by reciting platitudes on its calls.
    — Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026
  • But valuing ‘people’ requires more than a broad platitude.
    — Heather V. MacArthur, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • But even people on the Republican side who have come over here and just had platitudes.
    — Fox News, 12 July 2018
  • And at least thus far, the din of legislative platitudes has proven insufficient to drown them out.
    — Jay Willis, GQ, 20 Feb. 2018
  • Forget the bland platitude of taking the best player available.
    — Mike Sielski, Philly.com, 18 May 2017
  • Pick your favorite passive platitude to get through the next *checks watch* 1,362 days.
    — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
  • His answers, typically, differ by just a few words and a few platitudes.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Turn off the podcasts and put away the platitudes and instant affirmations, and go out into the world and walk your own streets.
    — Bess Matassa, Teen Vogue, 29 June 2018

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'platitude.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: