Hackneyedness

/ˈhæk.nid.nəs/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of being hackneyed; the condition of being overused, trite, or lacking originality.

Etymology

From 'hackneyed' + '-ness' (noun suffix indicating a state or quality). The abstract noun form emerged to discuss the philosophical or stylistic problem of overused expressions.

Kelly Says

Writers worry constantly about the 'hackneyedness' of phrases—that's why poets spend hours finding new ways to describe familiar things like love, death, and nature.

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