1
as in cliche
used or heard so often as to be dull
viewers were bored by the stale story lines of the new crop of sitcoms
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest
the sequel is basically a stale remake of the first movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 stale
In 2024, culture is boring and stale due to the algorithms calling the shots on what gets produced and praised—or so the critics say.
—
T.m. Brown, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2024
Throw in food scraps, such as rotted celery, flat half-cans of beer, stale muffins, coffee filters, old spices, an apple slice or gummy bear that broke the 5-second rule, moldy bread, eggshells.
—Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 16 Dec. 2024
If your current job in comms is growing stale, consider pivoting to supporting an organization fighting climate change.
—Aliza Knox, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
The entire country is facing a surge in stale inventory.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stale 
T.m. Brown, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2024
Throw in food scraps, such as rotted celery, flat half-cans of beer, stale muffins, coffee filters, old spices, an apple slice or gummy bear that broke the 5-second rule, moldy bread, eggshells.
—Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 16 Dec. 2024
If your current job in comms is growing stale, consider pivoting to supporting an organization fighting climate change.
—Aliza Knox, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
The entire country is facing a surge in stale inventory.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stale
Adjective
-
News to Know Disney buys Fubo On its face, the move might sound like a boring press release.—
Chris Branch,
The Athletic,
7 Jan. 2025
-
Covering the entertainment business is never boring, and 2025 is already shaping up to be another banger as business models that have been around for decades continue to evolve, erode and unravel.—
Ryan Faughnder,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Founded by artists who grew up in Maryvale, Salcido said the purpose of Labor is to be the bridge that shows the artistic capacity and potential of Maryvale because the neighborhood is too often stereotyped, underrepresented and ignored.—
David Ulloa Jr,
The Arizona Republic,
6 Dec. 2024
-
Chicano artists also critically reexamined stereotyped figures, such as the pachuco and pachuca, and retold current and historic events through artworks that questioned hegemonic narratives.—
Mary Thomas,
ARTnews.com,
3 Sep. 2019
Adjective
-
On the day of the shooting, Nixon-Clark was 16 years and 9 months old, just shy of reaching legal status as an adult.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Jan. 2025
-
That policy is so old that Chapman remembers it from his rookie year in the NYPD as a young patrolman in East Harlem in 1968.—
Graham Rayman,
New York Daily News,
12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Some women combat veterans and military experts say Hegseth's likely rise to Trump's cabinet has left them frustrated and exhausted and has revived tired, sexist arguments against their service.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA TODAY,
18 Jan. 2025
-
The upstairs restaurant serves Italian classics with a twist, as well as couscous and dishes prepared in a wok, which can be a nice change for those tired of pizza and pasta.—
Gary Stoller,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Adams may have thought Pierce owed him something for vouching for him, but Pierce was tiring of the pouting and target requests.—
Vic Tafur,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
-
Those two references, of course to the surprise endings of Citizen Kane and The Sixth Sense (sorry if that just ruined them for you), were meant as a jaded eye roll to a tiring complaint.—
Steven Zeitchik,
The Hollywood Reporter,
14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
But the hackneyed drama hasn’t mustered much enthusiasm from critics or moviegoers, and was unsurprisingly overlooked in the Globes’ best drama category.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA TODAY,
9 Dec. 2024
-
Revelations that are supposed to be moving and heartfelt feel hackneyed and clichéd, and it’s not helped by Shyamalan’s amateurish performance.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
5 Aug. 2024
Adjective
-
This is a technocratic view of art’s purpose, one that reduces art to a type of soma for late capitalism’s weary workers, Apple’s dream employees on an eighteen-hour shift and counting.—
Michaëla de Lacaze Mohrmann,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2025
-
But rather than sporting a big smile and radiating festive cheer, Ferrell looked hilariously weary and unshaven, with an unlit cigarette dangling between his scowling lips.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Randle has often been slow to close out on 3-point shooters and inattentive off the ball.—
Jon Krawczynski,
The Athletic,
18 Jan. 2025
-
The Israel Defense Forces have been slow to withdraw from their position in the southern part of Lebanon despite a Nov. 27 ceasefire deal that gave the Lebanese Army and the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon exclusive jurisdiction over the region.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
18 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near stale
Cite this Entry
“Stale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stale. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share