Drivelike

Drivelike is a term used in contemporary discourse analysis to describe a form of communication that appears substantive but delivers little meaningful content. The term is a neologism formed from "drivel" with the suffix "-like" and is typically applied to spoken or written text that relies on vagueness, generalized statements, and performative reassurance rather than concrete information.

Characterized by hedges, repetition, and the use of high-sounding language without specifics, drivelike aims to signal alignment, authority, or empathy rather than convey verifiable claims. Common features include broad promises, frequent appeal to common values, vague statistics without sources, and emphatic but noncommittal conclusions.

Contexts: political rhetoric, corporate messaging, social media posts, and certain forms of entertainment writing. It is sometimes discussed in satire and pundit analyses as a yardstick for measuring rhetorical substance.

Criticism: Critics argue drivelike reduces public deliberation by crowding out precise information. Proponents might defend it as social lubrication or a necessary posture in uncertain times.

Example: "We will work together to build a better future for everyone" is drivelike if it is devoid of concrete steps or metrics. In media criticism, such lines are flagged as drivelike if repeated without clarifying data.

Related terms include empty rhetoric, banal language, and vapid discourse.