Overused and therefore lacking in freshness or originality; made stale through repetition. Describes ideas, phrases, or approaches that have lost their impact due to excessive use.
From 'hackney,' referring to horses kept for hire that became worn out from overuse. A hackney horse was available to anyone for common, everyday riding, becoming tired and ordinary through constant use.
Picture a tired old taxi horse that's been 'hacked' around town so much it's worn out - that's hackneyed! Just like that overworked horse, hackneyed phrases have been 'ridden' so hard they've lost all their spirit and originality.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.