TRITE

[trite] adj trit.er ; trit.est [L tritus, fr. pp. of terere to rub, wear away--more at throw] (1548): hackneyed or boring from much use: not fresh or original -- trite.ly adv -- trite.ness n syn trite, hackneyed, stereotyped, threadbare mean lacking the freshness that evokes attention or interest. trite applies to a once effective phrase or idea spoiled from long familiarity ""you win some, you lose some" is a trite expression". hackneyed stresses being worn out by overuse so as to become dull and meaningless "all of the metaphors and images in the poem are hackneyed". stereotyped implies falling invariably into the same pattern or form "views of minorities that are stereotyped and out-of-date". threadbare applies to what has been used until its possibilities of interest have been totally exhausted "a mystery novel with a threadbare plot".