adjective
hackneyed
HAK-need
Hackneyed (adjective) means used so often that it has lost its force or originality. Example: “The speech was a string of hackneyed phrases about journeys and dreams.”
adjective
1
Used so often that it has lost its force or originality.
"The speech was a string of hackneyed phrases about journeys and dreams."
"It is a hackneyed plot, but the cast make it watchable."
How to use hackneyed
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSo overused that it has gone flat.
When to use it
Formal and literary; standard in criticism and review writing.
Easily confused with
hackneyed vs clichéd
hackneyed vs hacked
Common pairings
hackneyed phrase
hackneyed plot
hackneyed metaphor
sound hackneyed
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like hackneyed.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The speech was a string of _____ phrases about journeys and dreams.
Etymology
From hackney, a horse kept for hire, hence anything made stale and commonplace by constant use.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for hackneyed
See all rhymes for hackneyed →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between hackneyed and cliché?
A cliché is the thing itself, a noun: a phrase or idea worn out by repetition. Hackneyed is the adjective describing anything in that state, whether a phrase, a plot or an image. A hackneyed expression is a cliché.
Can hackneyed describe more than words?
Yes. Plots, arguments, jokes, camera shots and design ideas can all be hackneyed. It applies to anything that has been repeated until it stopped having any effect.
What is the meaning of hackneyed?
"hackneyed" (adjective) means used so often that it has lost its force or originality.
What is another word for hackneyed?
Other words for "hackneyed" include stock, clichéd, trite, stale, overused, banal.
