Hackneyed Meaning
/ˈhæk.nid/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjLacking significance through having been overused; unoriginal and trite.
adjRepeated too often.
Sentence Examples
The speech relied on hackneyed phrases that no one found inspiring.
A bad writer's prose is full of hackneyed phrases.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
Because the story had been used many times before, the ending was ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The speech was full of ____ phrases and clichés.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English hackney English -ed English hackneyed From hackney + -ed.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"It was a great success, that Irish stew. I don’t think I ever enjoyed a meal more. There was something so fresh and piquant about it. One's palate gets so tired of the old hackneyed things: here was a dish with a new flavour, with a taste like nothing else on earth."
— 1889, Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat […] :
Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Because the story had been used many times before, the ending was ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The speech was full of ____ phrases and clichés.