banal Hear it!

banal Definition

ba·nal (nəl; bə nal, -näl)

adjective

dull or stale as because of overuse; trite; hackneyed; commonplace

Etymology: Fr < OFr, designating objects (such as ovens or mills) belonging to feudal serfs (hence common, ordinary) < ban, decree, legal control: see ban

banal Related Forms
ba·nal·ity (bə nalə tē, bā-) noun pl. -·ties ba·nally adverb
banal Synonyms

banal

modif.

dull, trite, hackneyed; see common 1, insipid. See syn. study at insipid.

banal Usage Examples

Infinitive complement

  • dress: So, why does marketing provide the cloak that allows the ill-conceived and banal to dress up as brilliant insight?

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • find: He doesn't like English poetry he finds English poetry very banal.

Modifies a noun

  • lyric: And the ability to invest sometimes banal lyrics with meaning and worth is another weapon essential weapon in a jazz singer's armory.
  • observation: At this point, it is worth making a banal yet apparently necessary observation about British society today.
  • reality: The banal realities of the film industry really do determine what we see on screen.
  • object: It is iteration that interests them, and the diverse reactions inspired by apparently banal, mass-produced objects.
  • image: For his postcards, Mannocci deliberately chooses the banal clichéd image and sets out to alter its course according to his inner world.
  • question: The banal questions she asked the housemates on Friday night ( including the absurd ' How would you like to be remembered?

Modifying Another Word

  • utterly: What better way to fill the time than to write an utterly banal post about the weather?
  • seemingly: Note how the author's seemingly banal insights into his own life come together to form a coherent, devastating whole.
  • rather: South, I sense, finds this rather banal.
  • pretty: Not everything works, for example " Rock Star " is a pretty banal song.
  • totally: This should have been a thriller on par with The Gift, but instead is totally banal.
  • almost: As for Tiger's play-off secret - he made it sound almost banal.

Used with adjective complement

  • seem: But the danger is that we just make Conservatism seem banal.
  • sound: As for Tiger's play-off secret - he made it sound almost banal.
  • become: For a start, repetitions ( not enough food, sending home money ) become banal instead of poignant.

Browse dictionary entries near banal

  1. Ban-Lon
  2. ban
  3. bamboozle
  4. bamboo curtain
  5. bamboo
  6. bambino
  7. Bamako
  8. bam
  9. Balzac
  10. balustrade
  1. banality
  2. banana
  3. banana oil
  4. banana republic
  5. banana seat
  6. banana spider
  7. bananas
  8. Banat
  9. banausic
  10. Banbury tarts