Cliche or cliché?
cliché is the informal form of clich. In written English (wordfreq, 2021 data) cliche is about as common as cliché.
What is the difference between cliche and cliché?
| cliche | cliché | |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | noun, adjective, verb | noun, adjective, verb |
| Meaning | Informal form of clich Something, most often a phrase or expression, that is overused or used outside its original context, so that its original impact and meaning are lost. A trite… A stereotype (printing plate) proscribedClichéd; having the characteristics of a cliché | Informal form of clich Something, most often a phrase or expression, that is overused or used outside its original context, so that its original impact and meaning are lost. A trite… A stereotype (printing plate) proscribedClichéd; having the characteristics of a cliché |
| Example | The villain kidnapping the love interest is a bit of a cliché | The villain kidnapping the love interest is a bit of a cliché |
| Forms | clichés cliches | clichés |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkliː.ʃeɪ/ /kliˈʃeɪ/ | /ˈkliː.ʃeɪ/ /kliˈʃeɪ/ |
| In writing | 1.5 times per million words | 1.5 times per million words |
Sources: cliche and cliché in the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Every current meaning of cliche and cliché
cliche
- 1
Something, most often a phrase or expression, that is overused or used outside its original context, so that its original impact and meaning are lost. A trite saying; a platitude
The villain kidnapping the love interest is a bit of a cliché
- 2
proscribedClichéd; having the characteristics of a cliché
- 3
To use a cliché; to make up a word or a name that sounds like a cliché
- 4
Alternative form of cliché
- 5
Alternative form of cliché
- 6
A stereotype (printing plate)
cliché
- 1
Something, most often a phrase or expression, that is overused or used outside its original context, so that its original impact and meaning are lost. A trite saying; a platitude
The villain kidnapping the love interest is a bit of a cliché
- 2
proscribedClichéd; having the characteristics of a cliché
- 3
To use a cliché; to make up a word or a name that sounds like a cliché
- 4
Alternative form of cliché
- 5
Alternative form of cliché
- 6
A stereotype (printing plate)
Source: the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); obsolete, archaic, dialect and rare senses left out.
Which is more common, cliche or cliché?
cliche appears 1.5 times per million words; cliché 1.5 times per million words.
cliche 1.5 times per million wordscliché 1.5 times per million words
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).