banal

IPA/bəˈnɑːl/
KK[bənˈɑl]IPA/bəˈnɑːl/

banal — adjective

  • banalpositive
  • more banalcomparative
  • most banalsuperlative

1. Describes something so ordinary and uninteresting that it feels dull — for examp

1.形容詞B2
釋義

Describes something so ordinary and uninteresting that it feels dull — for example, a comment or piece of writing that adds no new thought or feeling.

例句

The mayor's speech was full of banal phrases about teamwork and the future.

collocation: banal phrases

Tendai grew tired of the banal small talk at every office party.

同義詞
  • trite

    stronger sense of being overused (especially of expressions); banal focuses more on being uninteresting overall

  • mundane

    more neutral — just everyday or routine; banal has a clearer negative judgment

  • stale

    suggests something was once fresh but has lost its appeal; banal does not imply prior freshness

  • clichéd

    more specific to phrases, plots, or ideas that are recognizably overused; banal can also describe general dullness

反義詞
  • original

    the closest opposite — truly new or creative rather than ordinary

  • striking

    something that grabs attention, the opposite of dull and forgettable

  • novel

    fresh and unusual rather than tired and ordinary

文法句型

banal + noun

be + banal

用法筆記

Frequently used to describe speech, writing, ideas, or creative works that should be interesting but are not. The noun form is 'banality'.

常見錯誤

❌The weather today is banal.
✅The weather today is ordinary.
💡'banal' carries a critical tone and is best used for things expected to be original or interesting, not for neutral descriptions.