hackneyed

/ˈhæknid/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhæknid/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhak-nēd/ (ame, mw)

hackneyed — adjective

  • hackneyedpositive
  • more hackneyedcomparative
  • most hackneyedsuperlative

1. describes an expression, image, or idea that people find dull and uninteresting

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describes an expression, image, or idea that people find dull and uninteresting because it has been repeated in so many different contexts over a long period of time.

例句

Fatima avoided hackneyed phrases like 'think outside the box' in her article about renewable energy.

hackneyed + noun (phrase, expression, plot)

Ananya found the movie's dialogue hackneyed, with every love scene using the same tired metaphors.

find + something + hackneyed (object-complement pattern)

同義詞
  • clichéd

    more specific to phrases and expressions; implies the expression has been used so much that it has become a cliché

  • trite

    stronger disapproval; suggests lack of depth and thoughtfulness

  • stale

    emphasizes loss of freshness; can apply to news, jokes, or relationships

  • banal

    more formal; stresses ordinariness and a complete lack of originality

反義詞
  • original

    suggests freshness and creativity, the direct opposite of overused

  • fresh

    implies newness and novelty, often of language or ideas

文法句型

hackneyed + noun

seem/become + hackneyed

用法筆記

Typically modifies nouns related to language and creative work: phrase, expression, metaphor, plot, dialogue, script, image. Rarely used for concrete objects or people.

常見錯誤

❌The soup tasted hackneyed.
✅The soup tasted bland.
💡hackneyed describes language and ideas, not physical objects or food.