banality

noun

ba·​nal·​i·​ty bə-ˈna-lə-tē  bā- 

 also  ba-

plural banalities

1

: something that lacks originality, freshness, or novelty : something banal : commonplace

2

: the quality or state of lacking new or interesting qualities : the quality or state of being banal

Synonyms

• bromide
• chestnut
• cliché
• cliche
• commonplace
• groaner
• homily
• platitude
• shibboleth
• trope
• truism

Examples of banality in a Sentence

The trip offers an escape from the banalities of daily life.

We exchanged banalities about the weather.

The writing never rose above banality.

Recent Examples on the Web

The movie offers phantasmagorical twists on unexceptional banalities. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2025

Two clips perfectly illustrate how late night fits 2025’s vibes to a T, the place where banality meets evil: one, Stephen Colbert interviewing the current (former?) director of USAID; and two, Andy Cohen cross-examining Summer House’s Craig Conover about his breakup with Paige DeSorbo on WWHL. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025

Yesterday’s pangrams were attainability, banality and inability. —Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025

The images are captivating in their intimacy and in their banality. —April White, JSTOR Daily, 17 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French banalité, from banal "available for general use, commonplace, banal" + -ité -ity

Note: The modern French word is probably an eighteenth-century coinage, and not continuous with Middle French bannalité "a feudal lord's right to extract usage fees, area under such a jurisdiction."

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for banality

• bestiality
• brutality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• fatality
• finality
• formality
• frugality
• legality
• lethality