A cliché is a phrase, idea, or part of a story that has been used so much that it no longer has its original meaning or impact. The word comes from French, where it means a printed image used in printing. In language studies, it refers to phrases that are commonly used and accepted.

The term is usually used to describe something predictable or expected. Clichés may or may not be true. Some are stereotypes, others are simple truths. They are often used for humor in stories.

Most phrases now considered clichéd were once seen as creative but have lost their strength because they are used too often. The French poet Gérard de Nerval once said, "The first who compared a woman to a rose was a poet, the second an imbecile."

A cliché is a clear way to describe something abstract, using comparisons or exaggerations. Used a little, they can be effective, but using them too much shows a lack of originality. Some film experts say that clichés like stock characters can be used creatively to set up expectations or give pleasure through recognition.

Etymology

The word "cliché" comes from French, where it was a form of the verb "clicher," meaning "to click." It was first used as a noun in 1825 and was common in the printing industry. Printers used the term to describe a type of printing plate or block that could reproduce text or images many times. Some believe the word came from the clicking sound made during a printing process called "dabbed printing," where a block was pressed into molten metal to create a mold. Over time, "cliché" came to describe a phrase that is repeated often and is no longer original.

Many dictionaries include the adjective form "clichéd," which has the same meaning. While some dictionaries only list "cliché" as a noun and "clichéd" as the adjective, others also accept "cliché" as an adjective.

Thought-terminating cliché

Thought-terminating clichés, also called thought-stoppers or semantic stopsigns, are short phrases that stop people from thinking carefully or discussing a topic in depth. These phrases often seem simple and easy to understand, but they avoid dealing with complicated questions or steer people away from other ideas. They are commonly found in cultural sayings that people repeat because they sound true or seem like the right thing to say. Examples include: "Stop thinking so much," "here we go again," and "so what, what effect do my [individual] actions have?"

The term was introduced by psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton in his 1961 book, Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of "Brainwashing" in China. Lifton explained that in environments where strong beliefs are promoted, people often use these phrases to simplify complex issues. He wrote, "These short, simple phrases are used to begin and end discussions about important ideas." Sometimes, people use them on purpose to stop debates, influence others, or ignore different opinions. Other times, people repeat them without thinking, because they are used to it or to support beliefs they already have.