bland

adjective

ˈbland 

1

a

: smooth and soothing in manner or quality

bland approval

a bland smile

b

: exhibiting no personal concern or embarrassment : unperturbed

a bland confession of guilt

2

a

: not irritating, stimulating, or invigorating : soothing

a bland oil

the bland climate of the southern coast

b

: dull, insipid

bland stories with little plot or action

a bland rendition of the song

c

: lacking strong flavor

Expect both kinds of salsify to be subtle and delicate—too bland for some tastebuds.

—Elizabeth Schneider

blandly

ˈblan(d)-lē 

adverb

blandness

ˈblan(d)-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• soothing
• gentle
• soft
• mellow
• mild
• benign

Choose the Right Synonym for bland

suave, urbane, diplomatic, bland, smooth, politic mean pleasantly tactful and well-mannered.

suave suggests a specific ability to deal with others easily and without friction.

a suave public relations coordinator

urbane implies high cultivation and poise coming from wide social experience.

an urbane traveler

diplomatic stresses an ability to deal with ticklish situations tactfully.

a diplomatic negotiator

bland emphasizes mildness of manner and absence of irritating qualities.

a bland master of ceremonies

smooth suggests often a deliberately assumed suavity.

a smooth salesman

politic implies shrewd as well as tactful and suave handling of people.

a cunningly politic manager

Examples of bland in a Sentence

The vegetable soup was rather bland.

The diplomat's bland statement did nothing to calm the situation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Hire a manager Just about the only news Posey made in an otherwise bland postseason media session on Wednesday was to quash speculation that Bruce Bochy, who recently parted ways with the Texas Rangers, would replace Bob Melvin on the top step of the dugout in San Francisco. —Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025

Although interaction with others is a chore, Dexter manages a bland but likable persona. —Barry Garron, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025

Choose simple, bland foods that are easy to digest, such as bananas and toast. —Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 20 Sep. 2025

The late 1900s saw a backlash to the bland, mass-market coffees of the previous decades. —Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin blandus "influencing others by flattery, ingratiating, insidious, calm, gentle, agreeable to the senses, pleasant," of uncertain origin

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for bland

• band
• banned
• brand
• canned
• fanned
• gland
• lande
• mande
• manned
• panned
• planned
• sande

Kids Definition

bland

adjective

ˈbland 

1

: smooth and soothing in manner : gentle

a bland smile

2

a

: having soft and soothing qualities : not irritating

bland diet

b

: not interesting : dull

a bland story

blandly

ˈblan-(d)lē 

adverb

blandness

ˈblan(d)-nəs 

noun