clichéd

Clichéd is an adjective used to describe content that has become unoriginal through overuse. A cliché is a phrase, image, or situation that has been repeated so often that it loses its impact or novelty. Clichéd writing or media often relies on familiar patterns, formulas, or stereotypes rather than fresh invention, though such devices can still serve deliberate or situational purposes, such as signaling genre or expectations.

Etymology and usage: The term cliché comes from the French word cliché, referring to a printing plate used for mass production. In printing, a cliché was a ready-made matrix; metaphorically, it came to describe ideas that are mechanically repeated. The adjective clichéd began to appear in English in the 19th century. The word is sometimes written with or without the acute accent, as clichés or cliched, depending on typographical conventions.

Nuance and context: Critics apply clichéd to mark content that lacks originality or relies too heavily on familiar tropes. Synonyms include hackneyed, formulaic, stereotyped, and trite. Because originality is relative, what counts as a cliché can vary by audience, genre, and culture. Some creators deliberately use clichés in a self-aware or parodic manner, turning them into a purposeful stylistic choice rather than a mere shortcoming.

See also: cliché, trope, stereotype.