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stale

 
 
pronunciation:
steIl
parts of speech:
adjective, transitive verb, intransitive verb
features:
Word Combinations (adjective), Word Explorer
part of speech: adjective
inflections: staler, stalest
definition 1: having lost the moisture, taste, effervescence, or the like that is associated with freshness.
The children gave bits of stale bread to the ducks.He complained to the bartender about the stale beer.
synonyms:
dry, wilted
antonyms:
fresh
similar words:
bland, flat, fusty, insipid, moldy, musty, old, sour, stagnant, stuffy, tasteless, vapid
definition 2: boring or lacking spark, especially because of overuse or lack of originality.
The article was full of stale ideas.
synonyms:
banal, hackneyed, shopworn, tired, trite
antonyms:
fresh, hot, original
similar words:
bland, boring, commonplace, corny, dull, flat, humdrum, insipid, old, old hat, overused, stock, uninspired, unoriginal, vapid, worn, worn-out
definition 3: of a person, having lost energy, originality, or motivation.
She stopped writing when she felt she was getting stale, despite the pleas of her readers.
synonyms:
stagnant, unoriginal
similar words:
bland, dead, dull, effete, fusty, insipid, old-fashioned, sluggish, tired, uncreative, weary
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part of speech: transitive verb
inflections: stales, staling, staled
definition: to make stale.
He quit his tedious job as a proofreader, claiming it staled his creativity.
synonyms:
dull, stagnate, wilt
similar words:
deaden, decay, dry, flatten, mold, sour, spoil
 
part of speech: intransitive verb
definition: to become stale.
The bread will stale very quickly if you leave the bag open.He stopped writing the detective stories because he felt the character had staled.
similar words:
dull
derivations: stalely (adv.), staleness (n.)
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