Select the synonym of the underlined word in the following sentence:-
Her speech was filled with such hackneyed expressions that it felt like she was reading from a well-worn script.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → trite
Hackneyed (adjective) means used so often that it has become dull and has lost its effect. Her speech was full of worn-out expressions, so it sounded as if she was reading from a "well-worn script". Its synonym is trite.
Example: The film ends with the hackneyed line "and they lived happily ever after".
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) shallow | lacking depth of thought or feeling (a shallow remark may be new, but hackneyed is about being overused, not about lack of depth) | His shallow comments showed he had not read the book. |
| (2) trite (answer) | overused and no longer fresh or interesting (a trite expression and a hackneyed expression are the same thing) | "Every cloud has a silver lining" sounded trite to the grieving family. |
| (3) innovative | new and original (the opposite of hackneyed) | The company is known for its innovative designs. |
| (4) jagged | having a rough, uneven edge with sharp points (it describes things like rocks or glass, not language) | He cut his hand on the jagged edge of the tin. |
| Synonyms of hackneyed: trite, cliched, stale, overused Antonyms of hackneyed: original, fresh, novel, innovative |