Platitude vs. Banal — What's the Difference?

A clichéd saying or truism.

Something obvious and unoriginal.

A statement with claimed wisdom but little impact.

Lacking freshness or novelty.

An overused remark intended to comfort.

Pertaining to the everyday and mundane.

A moral observation that is superficially true.

Common to the point of boredom.

An expression used to fill conversational voids.

Describing a lack of stimulating qualities.

A platitude is a trite, meaningless, or prosaic statement, often used as a thought-terminating cliché, aimed at quelling social, emotional, or cognitive unease. The statement may be true, but its meaning has been lost due to its excessive use.Platitudes have been criticized as giving a false impression of wisdom, making it easy to accept falsehoods: A platitude is even worse than a cliché.

Drearily commonplace and often predictable; trite

A remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful

So lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring

A trite or banal remark or statement, especially one expressed as if it were original or significant.

Common in a boring way, to the point of being predictable; containing nothing new or fresh.

Lack of originality; triteness

Relating to a type of feudal jurisdiction or service.

(countable) An often-quoted saying that is supposed to be meaningful but has become unoriginal or hackneyed through overuse; a cliché.

Commonplace; trivial; hackneyed; trite.

(countable) A claim that is trivially true, to the point of being uninteresting.

Obvious and dull;

(uncountable) Flatness; lack of change, activity, or deviation.

Repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse;

(uncountable) Unoriginality; triteness.

The quality or state of being flat, thin, or insipid; flat commonness; triteness; staleness of ideas of language.

A thought or remark which is flat, dull, trite, or weak; a truism; a commonplace.

A trite or obvious remark

While often viewed negatively in contexts demanding originality, banality can also reflect comfort in the familiar in some aspects of life.

Yes, changes in context or perspective can transform banal objects or ideas into subjects of interest or nostalgia.

Rarely, as it typically denotes a lack of originality, but it might be used positively in contexts valuing simplicity and minimalism.

Yes, a statement can be both if it is overused, lacks originality, and fails to provoke interest or thought.

A statement becomes a platitude when it is overused and lacks original thought, making it dull and uninspiring.

By striving for originality in expression and providing specific, thoughtful insights instead of generalizations.

Yes, what one person finds banal, another might find comforting or enjoyable, depending on individual tastes and experiences.

Because creative work is valued for its originality, innovation, and ability to provoke thought or evoke emotion, which banality lacks.

If the statement offers general, non-specific wisdom or comfort and is commonly heard, it’s likely a platitude.

People use platitudes to offer comfort, fill conversational voids, or convey conventional wisdom, often with good intentions.

A cliché is an overused expression or idea, while a platitude is a subset of clichés specifically offering simplistic wisdom or comfort.

Yes, even if considered cliché, platitudes can resonate with individuals depending on their personal experiences and perspectives.

Art that lacks originality, innovation, or depth, offering nothing new or stimulating, can be considered banal.

Despite their limitations, platitudes can serve social functions, such as easing conversational transitions or offering basic consolation.

Over time, novel ideas can become banal if they are overused or become widespread without variation or evolution.