Cliché is the French word for “stereotype.” In English, cliché is used to describe phrases and expressions that have been so overused they’ve lost their freshness and original meaning. For example:
- Saved by the bell
- As old as the hills
- In the nick of time
- Haste makes waste
Clichés are boring and trite, and relying on clichés to communicate is lazy. Exercise your brain by challenging yourself to avoid clichés and come up with a fresh metaphor or an original expression. And maybe you’ll create a new cliché that lazy people can use when they talk.