trope

noun

ˈtrōp How to pronounce trope (audio)
Definition of tropenext
as in cliché
an idea or expression that has been used by many people a screenplay that reads like a catalog of mystery-thriller tropes the narrative trope of two rival characters falling in love by the end of the story

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 trope Copyright law doesn’t protect general ideas or tropes considered standard in the treatment of particular topics (think a getaway driver in a heist movie) — only the particular expression of those ideas. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2026 In addition to reinforcing graphic-design tropes, Claude Design tends to direct all of its users toward the same libraries of open-source code, the tools behind user-interface design. — Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 24 June 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 And O’Flynn is its breakout star, achieving fan-favorite status not by regurgitating girls-in-horror tropes but by bringing Royal Academy gravitas to a character who might have initially read like a wallflower. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for trope
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trope
  1. truism
  2. commonplace
  3. platitude
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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of platitude

Browse Nearby Words

troops
trope
tropes
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Cite this Entry

“Trope.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trope. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on trope

Nglish: Translation of trope for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trope

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