Cliche
Pattern
Once-effective expression→worn out through overuse — staleness through popularity
Definition
An expression that has been used so often that it has lost its power to surprise, move, or inform. Distinguished from mere conventionality by its staleness — a cliche was once effective but has been worn out through overuse.
Examples
Example 1
We need to think outside the box on this one.
Once a vivid spatial metaphor for creative thinking — now the least creative way to advocate for creativity
Example 2
At the end of the day, it's a double-edged sword.
Two cliches in one sentence
Stacking cliches is a common AI pattern — each phrase is individually bleached, and together they communicate almost nothing specific
Example 3
This is just the tip of the iceberg.
A frozen metaphor so overused that it has lost all power to evoke the original image of a mostly-submerged danger
AI Detection Note
AI generates cliches at a high rate because they are statistically common in training data. 'A double-edged sword', 'the tip of the iceberg', 'a game-changer' — these are the phrases AI reaches for first because they have the highest frequency in the contexts where they appear.
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