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 But behind the pomp and platitudes, Putin is also facing Xi in a much weaker position than during his last visit to Beijing in September. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 20 May 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 The process is so slow that a City Council committee held a hearing earlier this month essentially to turn up the heat on administration officials, who offered no explanation for the molasses-like contracting process other than platitudes. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026 As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, some of America’s most visible business leaders are doing more than offering patriotic platitudes. — Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 4 July 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
  • There’s a truism that all models are wrong, but some are useful.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
  • This is certainly true—and a rather banal truism.
    — The Atlantic, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Definition of truism
Noun
  • 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
  • The bromide has been debunked, but there is power — and delight — in making coffee shop drinks at home.
    — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 25 June 2026
Definition of bromide
Noun
  • But together, the whole is blander than the sum of its parts—a subtle banality humans can often implicitly sense.
    — Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 29 June 2026
  • Communion does him no favors, though, mostly in its sheer banality.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 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
  • The ‘meet cute’ is becoming a trope in how people on social media talk about romance.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
  • The framing often positions Clark, a white player, as fragile and in need of shielding from predominantly Black opponents, reinforcing racist tropes about Black women being overly aggressive.
    — Lindsey Darvin, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of trope
Noun
  • One popular saying suggests a knot tied on a rainy day is harder to untie.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • But your abhorrence of the outcomes of particular elections doesn’t justify your saying, Well, the hell with that.
    — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 July 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 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on platitude

Nglish: Translation of platitude for Spanish Speakers

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