Prosaic
adjective
Ordinary, not interesting or exciting; lacks imagination.
His vacation was prosaic, just staying home and watching television.
Often appears as...
- prosaic lifestyle
- prosaic task
adjective
Related to prose writing, as opposed to poetry.
Her writing style is prosaic, straightforward without much decoration.
Often appears as...
- prosaic form
- prosaic language
Usage tips
Neutral
Literary
adjective
Ordinary, not interesting or exciting; lacks imagination.
His vacation was prosaic, just staying home and watching television.
Often appears as...
- prosaic lifestyle
- prosaic task
adjective
Related to prose writing, as opposed to poetry.
Her writing style is prosaic, straightforward without much decoration.
Often appears as...
- prosaic form
- prosaic language
Usage tips
Neutral
Literary
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Nuance
Using 'prosaic' may carry a slightly negative tone, suggesting disappointment or lack of enthusiasm.
Despite the hype, the film's plot was decidedly prosaic.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtle Sarcasm
'Prosaic' can be used sarcastically to imply something is even more boring than it sounds.
Another prosaic meeting about office stationery—how thrilling!
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Flatness
Describing something as 'prosaic' can suggest it fails to evoke any emotional response.
The artist’s latest gallery was disappointingly prosaic.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Nuance
Using 'prosaic' may carry a slightly negative tone, suggesting disappointment or lack of enthusiasm.
Despite the hype, the film's plot was decidedly prosaic.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtle Sarcasm
'Prosaic' can be used sarcastically to imply something is even more boring than it sounds.
Another prosaic meeting about office stationery—how thrilling!
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Flatness
Describing something as 'prosaic' can suggest it fails to evoke any emotional response.
The artist’s latest gallery was disappointingly prosaic.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Nuance
Using 'prosaic' may carry a slightly negative tone, suggesting disappointment or lack of enthusiasm.
Despite the hype, the film's plot was decidedly prosaic.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtle Sarcasm
'Prosaic' can be used sarcastically to imply something is even more boring than it sounds.
Another prosaic meeting about office stationery—how thrilling!
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Flatness
Describing something as 'prosaic' can suggest it fails to evoke any emotional response.
The artist’s latest gallery was disappointingly prosaic.
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Video examples
Daniel Libeskind's 17...
So the reality of architecture is visceral. It's not intellectual. It's not something that comes to us from books and theories. It's the real that we touch -- the door, the window, the threshold, the bed -- such prosaic objects. And yet, I try, in every building, to take that virtual world,
Video examples
A conservative's plea:...
We were a lower middle class family, but that's of course not real poverty. That's not even close. The first time I saw poverty, and poverty's face, was when I was six or seven years old, early 1970s. And it was like a lot of you, kind of a prosaic example, kind of trite.
Video examples
It’s time to embrace our...
East but the amazing thing about cities is even when they form the most prosaic reason like armored stockyards miracles happen when smart people connect and are able to learn from each other cities have been producing chains of collaborative creativity since Plato and
Video examples
The tribes we lead -...
one the only the best there ever was place for people who are into shoes to fight each other to talk about their passion to connect with people who care more about customer service than making a nickel tomorrow it can be something as prosaic issues and something as
Video examples
Elk Conservation in...
we've been having or at least we have been having some swans some geese is there anything very interesting about their migrations as well yeah there are so I mean I actually have a friend I took into the field once name's James prosaic as an artist and I I was with
Video examples
The tribes we lead PIPE...
the best-there-ever-was place for people who are into shoes to find each other, to talk about their passion, to connect with people who care more about customer service than making a nickel tomorrow. It can be something as prosaic as shoes,
Video examples
David Birch: A new way...
it's being checked by the Nokia phone that's reading the band. I'm only putting those up to show you these things are prosaic, this stuff works in these environments. They don't need to be special. So finally, I know that you can do this,
Video examples
Honor Harger: A history...
were fairly prosaic in origin. They turned out to be lightning or sources of electrical power. But there was one persistent noise that Jansky couldn't identify, and it seemed to appear in his radio headset
Video examples
Understanding the rise...
went in exactly the opposite direction, very painfully holding this huge civilization, civilization-state, together. The second is maybe more prosaic, which is Hong Kong.
Video examples
The refugee crisis is a...
who will put into practice the solutions that I've talked about. The duty to strangers shows itself in small ways and big, prosaic and heroic.
Video examples
Daniel Libeskind's 17...
So the reality of architecture is visceral. It's not intellectual. It's not something that comes to us from books and theories. It's the real that we touch -- the door, the window, the threshold, the bed -- such prosaic objects. And yet, I try, in every building, to take that virtual world,
Video examples
A conservative's plea:...
We were a lower middle class family, but that's of course not real poverty. That's not even close. The first time I saw poverty, and poverty's face, was when I was six or seven years old, early 1970s. And it was like a lot of you, kind of a prosaic example, kind of trite.
Video examples
It’s time to embrace our...
East but the amazing thing about cities is even when they form the most prosaic reason like armored stockyards miracles happen when smart people connect and are able to learn from each other cities have been producing chains of collaborative creativity since Plato and
Video examples
The tribes we lead -...
one the only the best there ever was place for people who are into shoes to fight each other to talk about their passion to connect with people who care more about customer service than making a nickel tomorrow it can be something as prosaic issues and something as
Video examples
Elk Conservation in...
we've been having or at least we have been having some swans some geese is there anything very interesting about their migrations as well yeah there are so I mean I actually have a friend I took into the field once name's James prosaic as an artist and I I was with
Video examples
The tribes we lead PIPE...
the best-there-ever-was place for people who are into shoes to find each other, to talk about their passion, to connect with people who care more about customer service than making a nickel tomorrow. It can be something as prosaic as shoes,
Video examples
David Birch: A new way...
it's being checked by the Nokia phone that's reading the band. I'm only putting those up to show you these things are prosaic, this stuff works in these environments. They don't need to be special. So finally, I know that you can do this,
Video examples
Honor Harger: A history...
were fairly prosaic in origin. They turned out to be lightning or sources of electrical power. But there was one persistent noise that Jansky couldn't identify, and it seemed to appear in his radio headset
Video examples
Understanding the rise...
went in exactly the opposite direction, very painfully holding this huge civilization, civilization-state, together. The second is maybe more prosaic, which is Hong Kong.
Video examples
The refugee crisis is a...
who will put into practice the solutions that I've talked about. The duty to strangers shows itself in small ways and big, prosaic and heroic.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
H. P. Lovecraft
American Novelist
There are not many persons who know what wonders are opened to them in the stories and visions of their youth; for when as children we listen and dream, we think but half-formed thoughts, and when as men we try to remember, we are dulled and prosaic with the poison of life.
Quote examples
Scott Snyder
American Writer
I use a lot of narration; I have a very prosaic style. I like to get you invested in the character first and do a lot of work in the first pages of each issue to try to re-establish things and keep the symbolism of a story very tucked beneath the surface.
Quote examples
James Dyson
British Designer
Well, I'm rather attracted to rather prosaic things like vacuum cleaners and hand dryers. Where people haven't apparently made them with a great love for what they're doing.
Quote examples
Susanna Clarke
English Author
It seemed to me that you make magic real by making it a little prosaic, a little difficult and disappointing - never quite as glamorous as the other characters imagine.
Quote examples
Kate Grenville
Australian Author
I would never write a sentence that didn't have a nice rhythm, or at least I wouldn't leave it to be published like that. It seems to me that prose mustn't be prosaic.
Quote examples
Charles Baudelaire
French Poet
France is not poetic; she even feels, in fact, a congenital horror of poetry. Among the writers who use verse, those whom she will always prefer are the most prosaic.
Quote examples
David Frost
English Journalist
The most important advice you can give anyone about to appear on TV is incredibly prosaic - be yourself.
Quote examples
Noah Feldman
American Author
In an ideological age, diplomacy may seem weak and prosaic. But sometimes it is all we have.
Quote examples
Guillermo del Toro
Mexican Director
I had nightmares as a kid. As an adult, I have very prosaic dreams.
Quote examples
Jan Morris
English Writer
Indians love to reduce the prosaic to the mystic.
Quote examples
H. P. Lovecraft
American Novelist
There are not many persons who know what wonders are opened to them in the stories and visions of their youth; for when as children we listen and dream, we think but half-formed thoughts, and when as men we try to remember, we are dulled and prosaic with the poison of life.
Quote examples
Scott Snyder
American Writer
I use a lot of narration; I have a very prosaic style. I like to get you invested in the character first and do a lot of work in the first pages of each issue to try to re-establish things and keep the symbolism of a story very tucked beneath the surface.
Quote examples
James Dyson
British Designer
Well, I'm rather attracted to rather prosaic things like vacuum cleaners and hand dryers. Where people haven't apparently made them with a great love for what they're doing.
Quote examples
Susanna Clarke
English Author
It seemed to me that you make magic real by making it a little prosaic, a little difficult and disappointing - never quite as glamorous as the other characters imagine.
Quote examples
Kate Grenville
Australian Author
I would never write a sentence that didn't have a nice rhythm, or at least I wouldn't leave it to be published like that. It seems to me that prose mustn't be prosaic.
Quote examples
Charles Baudelaire
French Poet
France is not poetic; she even feels, in fact, a congenital horror of poetry. Among the writers who use verse, those whom she will always prefer are the most prosaic.
Quote examples
David Frost
English Journalist
The most important advice you can give anyone about to appear on TV is incredibly prosaic - be yourself.
Quote examples
Noah Feldman
American Author
In an ideological age, diplomacy may seem weak and prosaic. But sometimes it is all we have.
Quote examples
Guillermo del Toro
Mexican Director
I had nightmares as a kid. As an adult, I have very prosaic dreams.
Quote examples
Jan Morris
English Writer
Indians love to reduce the prosaic to the mystic.
Example 1 of 10
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