When is something “clichéd” or “trite”?: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 22:21, 7 November 2013

A cliché is an expression that used to be clever, but became worn-out with too much use. Clichés show laziness in composition, a return to the same expressions that have been used by people for generations. Leave these expressions alone; instead, come up with another way of saying what you want to say — something fresh and creative.

Here are some examples of cliches to be avoided:

beat around the bush
busy as a beaver
dead as a doornail
kill her with kindness
playing with fire
water under the bridge
since the dawn of time
goes without saying
first and foremost
scratch the surface
burning question
contrary to popular opinion
bite the bullet

Often clichés are so old, they have lost their original significance, like “dead as a doornail.” Clichés can be detrimental to your writing and should be avoided if at all possible.

Like clichés, trite expressions are so familiar in popular vernacular (“marketing speek”) that they have become dull to read and hear. Avoid trite expressions and clichés in your writing: they are inappropriate, tired, and predictable.

Here are some trite expressions to be avoided:

startling new developments
coming out of the closet
good people
cutting edge
hard data

A trite expression could also be one that is too obvious to have been stated, like:

Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” is a very interesting piece of literature that is often analyzed.

If you can respond to the statement with "Duh!", you should leave it out of your writing.

Composition FAQ

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-A cliché is an expression that used to be clever, but became worn-out with too much use, like an over-played pop song. Clichés show laziness in composition, a return to the same expressions that your grandfather used to dazzle his friends with. Leave these expressions alone; instead, come up with another way of saying what you want to say — something fresh and creative. Here are some examples, as if you need them:
+A cliché is an expression that used to be clever, but became worn-out with too much use. Clichés show laziness in composition, a return to the same expressions that have been used by people for generations. Leave these expressions alone; instead, come up with another way of saying what you want to say — something fresh and creative.
+Here are some examples of cliches to be avoided:
 * beat around the bush
@@ Line 15: / Line 17: @@
 * bite the bullet
-Often clichés are so old, they have lost their original significance, like “dead as a doornail.” Clichés are to be avoided like the plague, and never put quotation marks around them.
+Often clichés are so old, they have lost their original significance, like “dead as a doornail.” Clichés can be detrimental to your writing and should be avoided if at all possible.
+Like clichés, trite expressions are so familiar in popular vernacular (“marketing speek”) that they have become dull to read and hear. Avoid trite expressions and clichés in your writing: they are inappropriate, tired, and predictable.
-Like clichés, trite expressions are so familiar in popular vernacular (“marketing speek”) that they have become tired, like a those overly baggy jeans. Like wearing those once-cool jeans, avoid trite expressions and clichés in your writing: they are inappropriate, tired, and predictable:
+Here are some trite expressions to be avoided:
 * startling new developments
@@ Line 29: / Line 33: @@
 : Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” is a very interesting piece of literature that is often analyzed.
-If you can answer it with a “duh!” then you should leave it out of your paper.
+If you can respond to the statement with "Duh!", you should leave it out of your writing.
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 [[Composition FAQ]]
-[[Category:Composition|cliche]]
+[[Category:Composition|Cliche]]