hackneyed
/ˈhækniːd/
Group 12Difficulty 2/3
Definition
- (adjective)
- Lacking significance through having been overused; unoriginal and trite GRE
Example in Context
The speech was filled with hackneyed phrases about the importance of hard work and perseverance that offered listeners nothing they had not heard countless times before.
Synonyms
overusedclichédstale
Etymology
Originally 'hired out', now refers to ideas that have been overused.
- hackney (Old English) — a horse for hire
- -ed (English) — having been
Memory Aid
🦵Sounds like “hack knee”
If you keep HACKING at your KNEE, it gets so old it’s HACKNEYED!
Visual Association
📉A tired comedian telling the same stale joke to an audience that has already heard it a hundred times.
Semantic Clusters
Synonym Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “hackneyed” mean on the GRE?
hackneyed (adjective) means “Lacking significance through having been overused; unoriginal and trite”. The speech was filled with hackneyed phrases about the importance of hard work and perseverance that offered listeners nothing they had not heard countless times before.
How to remember “hackneyed” for the GRE?
Mnemonic: “hackneyed” sounds like “hack knee”. If you keep HACKING at your KNEE, it gets so old it’s HACKNEYED!
What are synonyms for “hackneyed”?
Common synonyms: overused, clichéd, stale.