The cliche meaning covers any phrase, idea or story move that has been used so many times it no longer surprises anyone. "At the end of the day", "think outside the box" and the hero who walks away from an explosion without looking back are all clichés.
A cliché is not wrong or ungrammatical. Most of them started as fresh, vivid images. The trouble is repetition: once everybody says it, the image stops doing any work, and readers skim past it. Borrowed from French, it is often written with the accent, cliché, though cliche is also accepted.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
An overused phrase, idea or scene that feels stalePart of speech
Noun (plural clichés); informally used as an adjectivePronunciation
klee-SHAY; in the UK often KLEE-shayWord forms
clichéd (adjective), cliché-riddenOrigin
French printers' word for a cast metal printing plateClose words
platitude, stock phrase, trope, commonplaceRegister
Neutral; common in writing advice and reviews
What is a cliché, exactly?
If you need to define cliche briefly, try this cliche definition: an expression or idea that has lost its force through overuse. The word stretches across three kinds of thing:
- Phrases. "Every cloud has a silver lining", "only time will tell", "avoid it like the plague".
- Ideas or beliefs. Tired generalizations, such as the notion that all artists are messy or all accountants are dull.
- Plot and image patterns. The detective who is a loner with a dark past, the sunset kiss at the end of a romance, the villain explaining the whole plan.
Something becomes a cliché by being predictable. If your listener can finish your sentence for you, you may be using one.
The printing shop origin of cliche meaning
In nineteenth century French print shops, a cliché was a metal plate cast from a mould of set type, so the same page could be printed again and again without change. The word is the past participle of the verb clicher. Some word historians think that verb imitated the click of the mould striking the metal, though that link is a guess rather than a proven fact.
English first borrowed cliché as a printing term. By the late 1800s it had taken on the figurative sense we use now: a phrase stamped out the same way every time. Its cousin stereotype followed the same path, from a printing plate to a fixed, repeated idea about people.
Spotting clichés in everyday writing
- My cover letter opened with "I am a team player", and the recruiter said it was a cliché she saw fifty times a week.
- The film's twist was such a cliché that half the audience guessed it in the first ten minutes.
- It sounds like a cliché, but getting enough sleep really did fix my grades.
- Our teacher banned three clichés from essays: "since the dawn of time", "in this day and age" and "last but not least".
- The travel ad was clichéd from start to finish: hidden gems, breathtaking views, a once in a lifetime trip.
You are writing a birthday card for a coworker and catch yourself writing "Another year older and wiser".
You have seen that line in a hundred cards. It is a cliché: friendly, harmless, and so familiar that it says almost nothing personal.
Cliché, clichéd and "so cliché"
Cliché is a noun: That line is a cliché. The standard adjective is clichéd: a clichéd ending, clichéd dialogue. In casual speech many people use the noun itself as an adjective ("that is so cliché"). Listeners understand it, but for an essay, a report or a client email, clichéd is the safer choice.
The accent is optional in most modern English. You will see cliché in books and edited articles and cliche in quick typing, headlines and search boxes. Both spellings pass; pick one and keep it the same throughout an essay or report. The plural adds an s: clichés.
Cliché, trope, idiom: telling them apart
| Word | What it is | Negative? |
|---|---|---|
| cliché | an overused phrase or idea | Usually yes |
| trope | a familiar pattern or device in stories | Neutral |
| idiom | a fixed phrase whose meaning is not literal | Neutral |
| platitude | a dull remark offered as if it were wise | Yes |
Many clichés are idioms or worn out metaphors that have been repeated too often. A trope becomes a cliché only when it is used lazily, without anything new added.
How writers get around clichés
Editors give the same advice in many forms: when you notice a cliché, ask what you actually mean and say that instead. "It was raining cats and dogs" might become "the rain was loud enough to drown out the radio". The second version is specific to your scene.
That said, clichés have honest uses. In speech they are quick and friendly, and in comedy a writer may lean on one on purpose to set up a joke. Characters in fiction may speak in clichés to show they are stiff or nervous. The skill is to use one by choice, not by habit. For more writing terms, browse our grammar and writing section.
Frequently asked questions
What does cliche mean in simple words?
A cliché is something said or done so often that it has become boring and predictable. It usually describes phrases, but it can also describe ideas and plot moves.
How do you pronounce cliché?
In American speech it is usually klee-SHAY, landing on the last beat. British speakers often put the weight up front: KLEE-shay. Both are understood.
Is it correct to say "that's so cliché"?
Plenty of people say it out loud, and few listeners object. In formal writing, use the adjective clichéd, as in "that ending is clichéd".
Is a cliché always bad?
Not always. Clichés are a weakness in writing that aims to be fresh, but in quick chat or deliberate humor they can be handy. The problem is using one without noticing.
Can you give some cliché examples?
"Better late than never", "it is what it is" and "time heals all wounds" are well known examples. In stories, the orphan farm kid who turns out to be secretly royal has been done to death.
Cliché vs stereotype: how are they different?
A cliché is an overused expression or idea. A stereotype is an oversimplified belief about a group of people. Both words began as names for printing plates that repeated the same image.