cliché

Cliché refers to an expression, idea, or element in creative works that has become predictable and unoriginal through excessive repetition. Clichés can appear as phrases, slogans, plot devices, or visual motifs that have lost their novelty and impact due to overuse. Usage is to convey common understanding quickly, but heavy reliance can obscure nuance and mislead audiences about authenticity.

The term originates from the French cliché meaning a printing plate used to reproduce text or images. In English, the word began to be used in the 19th century to refer to such ready-made impressions, and by the 20th century had come to denote overused expressions or ideas.

Lexical clichés include phrases like "better late than never" or "the more the merrier." Plot clichés include "the final boss," "rags to riches," or "love at first sight," common in certain genres. Visual clichés appear as stock camera angles or genre-specific imagery. Not all clichés are negative; they can function as convenient shorthand or create shared cultural reference points. In satire and commentary, clichés may be invoked deliberately to critique their own overuse.

Clichés can speed communication by relying on familiar associations. They may also signal conventional thinking or lack of originality, and in professional writing or journalism, excessive cliché can reduce perceived credibility. Writers may choose to subvert or avoid clichés by selecting precise wording or quirky twists that restore originality.

Cliché is related to platitude, trope, stock phrase, stereotype, and idiom.