Hackneyed
/ˈhæk.nid/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Hackneyed means something is very common because many people have used it many times before. It often refers to phrases, ideas, or stories that feel boring or not fresh anymore because they are repeated too much.
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See It in Action
Overused and unoriginal phrases or expressions
- •The phrase "think outside the box" has become hackneyed in business meetings.
- •His speech was full of hackneyed expressions that made it boring.
- •Avoid hackneyed clichés when writing to keep your text fresh.
Ideas or stories that are dull because they are repeated too often
- •The movie's plot was hackneyed and predictable.
- •The novel felt hackneyed because it used the same old love story.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "hackneyed" like "old" or "common," but with the meaning that something is boring because it is used too often
- ✓Picture a well-worn path in a park that many people have walked on so much it looks plain and tired
- ✓It's the feeling when you hear a joke or phrase again and again, and it stops being funny or interesting
- ✓Sounds like "HACK-need" → imagine a "hack" (someone who copies others) needing to use the same old words because they have no new ideas
- ✓Think of stories or movies that feel the same because they use the same old ideas again and again
- ✓NOT like "new" or "fresh" (original and interesting), hackneyed means the opposite: old and repeated
- ✓NOT like "rare" or "unique," hackneyed means very common and overused
- ✓NOT like "creative," hackneyed ideas lack creativity because they are used too much
Try Other Words
- •Clichéd: overused and unoriginal (Use when talking about phrases or ideas that are boring because they are repeated)
- •Overused: used too much (Use when you want a simple word to say something is used too often)
- •Trite: lacking originality because of overuse (Use in formal or literary contexts similar to hackneyed)
- •Commonplace: ordinary and not special (Use when something is usual and not interesting)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "hackney" (a place name historically known for horse hire) + "-ed" (adjective suffix)
- •Etymology: From the noun "hackney," meaning a horse for hire, extended to mean something ordinary or overused because horses for hire were common
- •Historical development: Originally referred to hired horses or carriages that were common and not special; later used figuratively for words or ideas that are overused
- •Modern usage: Used to describe phrases, ideas, or things that have lost interest because they are repeated too often
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be both hackneyed and still useful or meaningful? When might that happen?
•How do people decide when a phrase or idea becomes hackneyed instead of just popular?
Fill in the blanks
1.The speech was full of hackneyed ___ like "at the end of the day" and "easy as pie," which made it boring to listen to.
2.Writers should avoid hackneyed ___ if they want their stories to feel new and exciting.
3.A hackneyed idea is often ___ because many people have used it before.
4.When a joke becomes hackneyed, people usually ___ to laugh at it.
5.The movie failed because its plot was hackneyed and ___ to predict.
6.People sometimes use hackneyed phrases ___ because they don't know other ways to say things.
7.Hearing the same hackneyed expressions over and over can make a conversation feel ___ and dull.