Platitude
noun
A comment or statement that sounds important but is overused and has no real value or originality.
Most people ignore the platitudes about hard work and just carry on with their lives.
Often appears as...
- utter a platitude
- cliche platitude
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
A dull or unoriginal statement made as if it were new or significant.
He filled his political speeches with self-evident platitudes.
Often appears as...
- boring platitude
- platitudinous speech
Usage tips
Disapproving
Academic
noun
A comment or statement that sounds important but is overused and has no real value or originality.
Most people ignore the platitudes about hard work and just carry on with their lives.
Often appears as...
- utter a platitude
- cliche platitude
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
A dull or unoriginal statement made as if it were new or significant.
He filled his political speeches with self-evident platitudes.
Often appears as...
- boring platitude
- platitudinous speech
Usage tips
Disapproving
Academic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Overused Expressions
Platitudes often sound meaningful but are so overused they've lost impact.
Saying 'time heals all wounds' is just a platitude.
Pro Tip 2/3Avoid in Writing
Using platitudes can make writing seem lazy or uninspired.
Her essay was marked down for its use of platitudes.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Persuasive
A platitude won't usually persuade someone, as it lacks depth and originality.
His argument was weak, relying on platitudes instead of facts.
Pro Tip 1/3Overused Expressions
Platitudes often sound meaningful but are so overused they've lost impact.
Saying 'time heals all wounds' is just a platitude.
Pro Tip 2/3Avoid in Writing
Using platitudes can make writing seem lazy or uninspired.
Her essay was marked down for its use of platitudes.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Persuasive
A platitude won't usually persuade someone, as it lacks depth and originality.
His argument was weak, relying on platitudes instead of facts.
Pro Tip 1/3Overused Expressions
Platitudes often sound meaningful but are so overused they've lost impact.
Saying 'time heals all wounds' is just a platitude.
Pro Tip 2/3Avoid in Writing
Using platitudes can make writing seem lazy or uninspired.
Her essay was marked down for its use of platitudes.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Persuasive
A platitude won't usually persuade someone, as it lacks depth and originality.
His argument was weak, relying on platitudes instead of facts.
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Video examples
Learning from dirty jobs...
I started to look at teamwork and determination. And basically, all those platitudes they call "successories" that hang with that schmaltzy art in boardrooms around the world right now, that stuff -- it's suddenly all been turned on its head. Safety. Safety first is
Video examples
Earth's mass extinction...
right now but there's two phase two everything isn't there now a lot of you are going to die of old age but some of you horribly enough are going to die in an accident and that's the fate of a platitude earth if we're lucky enough if it doesn't get hit by a pale
Video examples
Learning from dirty jobs...
I started to look at teamwork and determination. And basically, all those platitudes they call "successories" that hang with that schmaltzy art in boardrooms around the world right now, that stuff -- it's suddenly all been turned on its head. Safety. Safety first is
Video examples
Earth's mass extinction...
right now but there's two phase two everything isn't there now a lot of you are going to die of old age but some of you horribly enough are going to die in an accident and that's the fate of a platitude earth if we're lucky enough if it doesn't get hit by a pale
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Norman Foster
British Architect
A life-threatening illness or two certainly gives you an awareness of your own mortality. It heightens your sense of gratitude for things that previously, if you've not taken them for granted, you perhaps never appreciated how precious they were. That's almost a platitude, but one has to state the obvious.
Quote examples
Lawrence M. Krauss
American Physicist
When considering real-world issues, particularly those that touch on science and technology, it is harder to speak in platitudes or rely purely on emotion or fear. Substance, or its lack, becomes harder to mimic or mask, which is why I wish we had a true televised presidential debate on these subjects.
Quote examples
H. P. Lovecraft
American Novelist
The real lover of cats is one who demands a clearer adjustment to the universe than ordinary household platitudes provide; one who refuses to swallow the sentimental notion that all good people love dogs, children, and horses while all bad people dislike and are disliked by such.
Quote examples
Leo Buscaglia
American Author
The purpose of life is to help others, and if you can't help them, won't you at least not hurt them? I know that is a platitude, that that is sentimental and can easily be attacked. But loving, caring is simple, and we make it complex. Our own neuroses make it complex.
Quote examples
Sheldon Whitehouse
American Politician
To a certain extent, platforms are platitudes that you test when you get to govern. You have to run those priorities up against the opposition and decide what's most important.
Quote examples
Oscar Wilde
Irish Poet
In modern life nothing produces such an effect as a good platitude. It makes the whole world kin.
Quote examples
Aldous Huxley
English Novelist
Proverbs are always platitudes until you have personally experienced the truth of them.
Quote examples
Stanley Baldwin
English Statesman
A platitude is simply a truth repeated till people get tired of hearing it.
Quote examples
Van Wyck Brooks
American Critic
The man who has the courage of his platitudes is always a successful man.
Quote examples
Norman Douglas
British Writer
What is all wisdom save a collection of platitudes?
Quote examples
Norman Foster
British Architect
A life-threatening illness or two certainly gives you an awareness of your own mortality. It heightens your sense of gratitude for things that previously, if you've not taken them for granted, you perhaps never appreciated how precious they were. That's almost a platitude, but one has to state the obvious.
Quote examples
Lawrence M. Krauss
American Physicist
When considering real-world issues, particularly those that touch on science and technology, it is harder to speak in platitudes or rely purely on emotion or fear. Substance, or its lack, becomes harder to mimic or mask, which is why I wish we had a true televised presidential debate on these subjects.
Quote examples
H. P. Lovecraft
American Novelist
The real lover of cats is one who demands a clearer adjustment to the universe than ordinary household platitudes provide; one who refuses to swallow the sentimental notion that all good people love dogs, children, and horses while all bad people dislike and are disliked by such.
Quote examples
Leo Buscaglia
American Author
The purpose of life is to help others, and if you can't help them, won't you at least not hurt them? I know that is a platitude, that that is sentimental and can easily be attacked. But loving, caring is simple, and we make it complex. Our own neuroses make it complex.
Quote examples
Sheldon Whitehouse
American Politician
To a certain extent, platforms are platitudes that you test when you get to govern. You have to run those priorities up against the opposition and decide what's most important.
Quote examples
Oscar Wilde
Irish Poet
In modern life nothing produces such an effect as a good platitude. It makes the whole world kin.
Quote examples
Aldous Huxley
English Novelist
Proverbs are always platitudes until you have personally experienced the truth of them.
Quote examples
Stanley Baldwin
English Statesman
A platitude is simply a truth repeated till people get tired of hearing it.
Quote examples
Van Wyck Brooks
American Critic
The man who has the courage of his platitudes is always a successful man.
Quote examples
Norman Douglas
British Writer
What is all wisdom save a collection of platitudes?
Example 1 of 10
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