Meaning & use
banality
The quality of being extremely ordinary, unoriginal, or dull through overuse or lack of imagination.
See it in a sentence
Critics dismissed the film's dialogue for its banality, calling every line utterly predictable.
The philosopher famously wrote about the banality of evil committed by ordinary bureaucrats.
A note on using this word
Banality is often used in the phrase banality of evil, describing how terrible acts can be carried out through routine, unthinking behavior.
Words with a similar meaning
tritenessdullnessmediocrity
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
originalitynovelty
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “banality”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.