What Is a Cliché and How you can Keep away from It in Writing

A cliché, pronounced klih-SHAY, is a phrase that’s chronically overused to the purpose of being meaningless.

You’ve heard and browse them earlier than. Clichés are phrases like “crystal clear” and “it’s what it’s.” They’re inventory phrases that really feel extra like filler than efficient textual content and, typically, can weaken the writing that makes use of them. You additionally might need heard phrases akin to “that’s so cliché,” which is definitely incorrect—and we’ll focus on why on this publish.

Key factors about clichés:

• The phrase “cliché” is a noun.
• A cliché is a phrase, an concept expressed by the phrase, or one thing (akin to a state of affairs) described by it.
• A cliché will not be the identical as a stereotype or trope.

What’s a cliché?

A cliché is a phrase that’s so widespread, it’s virtually meaningless. In some instances, clichés are fully meaningless as a result of they’re overused to the purpose of changing into indifferent from their unique which means.

Listed below are a couple of examples of clichés:

• Clear as day
• The grass is at all times greener on the opposite aspect of the fence.
• It’s what it’s.
• It’s six of 1, half a dozen of the opposite.

As a result of clichés are so overused and usually meaningless, the time period “cliché” has a damaging connotation. Past describing overused, predictable phrases, it’s advanced to explain conditions, plotlines, motifs, and extra. For instance, you would possibly say a film has “a cliché plot” or describe a pop track as “so cliché.”

That wouldn’t be fairly right as a result of statements like that ought to use an adjective, and “cliché” is a noun. Nevertheless, you might say a film has a “clichéd plot” or name a track’s lyrics “so clichéd” as a result of the adjectival type of cliché is clichéd.

Examples of clichés

Coronary heart of gold

This cliché, which implies a pure, beneficiant particular person, comes from Shakespeare. Extra particularly, it comes from the play Henry V. It’s a fantastic instance of how an unique phrase can turn into a cliché by years of overuse.

“I’ve obtained a foul feeling about this”

This phrase is taken into account a cliché as a result of it’s utilized in many motion pictures—generally it’s performed straight, and different instances it’s utilized in an inappropriate state of affairs for comedic impact. In any case, a personality’s discomfort will be illustrated higher by extra particular dialogue.

Velocity of sunshine

Velocity of sunshine is a clichéd solution to say one thing is imperceptibly quick. One type of media that makes use of this cliché is the Pokemon anime, the place Crew Rocket’s motto consists of the road “Crew Rocket blast off on the pace of sunshine!”

Protected and sound

Protected and sound is a clichéd solution to say one thing or somebody is totally secure from potential hurt.

An ideal storm

The phrase an ideal storm usually means a state of affairs the place a number of damaging components have created a fancy, tough state of affairs. The Good Storm is a 2000 movie (based mostly on a nonfiction e book) that tells the story of a horrific hurricane—one created by a number of situations.

Kinds of clichés

Platitudes

A platitude is an announcement meant to ease social stress. Listed below are two examples of this kind of cliché:

• Every part occurs for a purpose.
• Honesty is the perfect coverage.

Thought-terminating clichés

A thought-terminating cliché is an announcement used to close down a dialog. Check out these thought-terminating cliché examples:

• To every their very own.
• You win some, you lose some.

Associated phrases

Cliché vs. stereotype

“Stereotype” will not be a synonym for “cliché,” although there’s some overlap. The phrases are associated, too—cliché is the previous participle of the French verb clicher, which implies to print in stereotype. Stereotype was a technique of printing newspapers with interlocking plates.

Right now, although, they’re distinct English phrases. A stereotype is a set, oversimplified depiction of a spot, factor, or demographic.

Cliché vs. archetype

An archetype is a really typical instance of a class. In reality, it could be the instance that defines its class. King Arthur could also be thought of an archetype of a hero.

Cliché vs. trope

A trope is a predictable character, battle, or plot level in fiction. Examples of tropes embody the type but sassy grandmother and the “chosen one” protagonist. In distinction, a personality would possibly use clichéd dialogue, just like the grandmother incessantly beginning her statements with “as I at all times say …” Whereas cliché has a damaging connotation, trope can be utilized positively or negatively.

Cliché vs. idiom

An idiom is a determine of speech, like saying “Break a leg!” to a musician earlier than they go onstage. An idiom isn’t essentially a cliché, however it might turn into a cliché over time.

How you can keep away from clichés in your writing

You’ll most certainly use clichés in your writing sooner or later. All of us do. Though avoiding them as you write is preferable, it’s extra necessary to get a completed first draft on the web page, even when it comprises clichés. That method, you’ve obtained a whole piece of textual content to edit into a sophisticated, cliché-free last draft.

Search for synonyms to interchange them

As you learn your writing and spot clichés, take into consideration what you meant to say once you initially wrote every cliché. Discover synonyms or extra unique methods to convey your ideas, like changing “within the nick of time” with one thing like “seconds earlier than the door shut.”

Remove the cliché

As you’re writing, it’s wonderful to make use of a cliché as a placeholder when you possibly can’t consider a extra unique phrase. However once you’re enhancing and you discover them in your work, remove them. Typically, this will imply remodeling a complete paragraph.

Rewrite it in your personal phrases

If you happen to’re caught and might’t consider a powerful substitute for a cliché, Grammarly can assist. Have Grammarly spot clichés in your writing and counsel methods to interchange them.

Are clichés dangerous?

Not essentially. Typically, writers use clichés successfully. Check out these examples of cliché:

A author could use a cliché for characterization. A personality would possibly say issues like, “It’s what it’s” often, which might point out they’re an unoriginal thinker or anyone bored with change.

A author may additionally embody clichés of their work to subvert them. A chapter would possibly begin off with “It was an evening like every other” after which shortly present that it was not, in truth, an evening like every other.

Clichés will also be utilized in parodies. This could possibly be a humorous essay asking the reader to assume exterior the field, then strolling them by more and more absurd methods for escaping an enormous cardboard field with out tearing it.

Cliché FAQs

What’s a cliché?

A cliché definition is a phrase that’s been repeated so many instances that it not has the influence it as soon as had. It is because the phrase has turn into predictable and feels generic, fairly than evoking an unique picture within the listener’s or reader’s thoughts.

Is a cliché slang?

No, a cliché will not be slang. Nevertheless, a cliché can comprise slang phrases.

What’s an instance of a cliché?

• Within the nick of time
• Take it or go away it.
• Velocity of sunshine

What are synonyms for cliché?

“Inventory phrase” is a synonym for cliché. A number of different phrases which can be related however not precise synonyms embody “platitude” and “banality.”