1
Core quality
Overused and therefore lacking freshness, force, or originality.
Example
The speech relied on trite slogans instead of specific proposals.
trite
/traɪt/ · TRYTadjective
Overused and therefore lacking freshness, force, or originality.
Use trite to express this relationship precisely: overused and therefore lacking freshness, force, or originality.
What trite Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Attributive or predicative use
Use this adjective before a suitable noun or after a linking verb such as be or seem.
Example
What once seemed insightful now sounds trite through repetition.
3
Analytical distinction
Choose it when this exact descriptive quality matters; a related word may overlap without conveying the same trait.
Example
The critic called the ending sentimental and trite.
Use trite Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The speech relied on trite slogans instead of specific proposals.
What once seemed insightful now sounds trite through repetition.
The critic called the ending sentimental and trite.
Precision Matters
Trite overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
trite
vs.Means overused and therefore lacking freshness, force, or originality.
mundane
Means ordinary, routine, or lacking excitement.
trite
vs.Means overused and therefore lacking freshness, force, or originality.
conventional
Means based on established practice, tradition, or general acceptance.
trite
vs.Means overused and therefore lacking freshness, force, or originality.
innovative
Means introducing or using new ideas, methods, or materials.
trite
vs.Means overused and therefore lacking freshness, force, or originality.
distinctive
Means having a characteristic that makes something recognisably different from others.
Test trite in Context
Repeated use has made the slogan stale and unoriginal.
1
Because the slogan had appeared in hundreds of campaigns, reviewers found it ___ rather than memorable.