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threadbare

adjective
thread·​bare | \ ˈthred-ˌber How to pronounce threadbare (audio) \

Definition of threadbare

1a : having the nap worn off so that the thread shows : shabby threadbare clothes
b : wearing threadbare clothing : very poor took in threadbare relatives— Russell Baker
c : barely adequate because of cheapness or shabbiness a threadbare production
2 : exhausted of interest or freshness
Other Words from threadbare Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about threadbare

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Other Words from threadbare

threadbareness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for threadbare

trite, hackneyed, stereotyped, threadbare mean lacking the freshness that evokes attention or interest. trite applies to a once effective phrase or idea spoiled from long familiarity. "you win some, you lose some" is a trite expression hackneyed stresses being worn out by overuse so as to become dull and meaningless. all of the metaphors and images in the poem are hackneyed stereotyped implies falling invariably into the same pattern or form. views of minorities that are stereotyped and out-of-date threadbare applies to what has been used until its possibilities of interest have been totally exhausted. a mystery novel with a threadbare plot

Examples of threadbare in a Sentence

bought a threadbare couch at a garage sale a novel filled with nothing but threadbare clichés

Recent Examples on the Web

 My mother read book after book sitting atop a threadbare bath towel on the rocky sand. — Lauren Gibbons Paul, BostonGlobe.com, "Rediscovering the joys of swimming in a pond," 6 Sep. 2019 The problem is that his proposal is pretty threadbare. — Alex Ward, Vox, "Buttigieg’s plan to combat domestic terrorism," 7 Aug. 2019 That seems like an overly rosy assumption considering how threadbare the city’s mental health and drug treatment systems are now. — Heather Knight, SFChronicle.com, "NIMBYs beware: Latest bold SF plan asks every neighborhood to house the homeless," 24 July 2019 The scene where aeronautical engineers scramble for solutions on the ground working with only the sparse equipment the astronauts have at their disposal gives a sobering indication of just how threadbare these missions were. — Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, "Apollo 11's 50th anniversary: 5 great moon movies to celebrate humanity's great achievement," 28 Feb. 2019 There are two threadbare and rare Revolutionary War flags. — Amanda Milkovits, BostonGlobe.com, "Historic flags remain in storage, more than two years after they were removed from State House for restoration," 15 July 2019 The Warriors came in desperate to win for the fallen Durant and exit their threadbare but cherished home arena of 47 years in triumph. — Marc Stein, New York Times, "How the Raptors Won Their First N.B.A. Championship," 13 June 2019 The Ravens know the perils of confronting the pass-happy modern NFL with a threadbare secondary. — Childs Walker, baltimoresun.com, "Five Things We Learned from the Ravens’ OTAs and minicamp," 14 June 2019 The fabric of communal, collective life in his movies tends to be threadbare. — Max Nelson, Harper's magazine, "The All-Seeing Eye," 10 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'threadbare.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of threadbare

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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More Definitions for threadbare

threadbare

adjective
How to pronounce threadbare (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of threadbare

: very thin and in bad condition from too much use
: not very effective, interesting, etc., because of being used too often

See the full definition for threadbare in the English Language Learners Dictionary

threadbare

adjective
thread·​bare | \ ˈthred-ˌber How to pronounce threadbare (audio) \

Kids Definition of threadbare

1 : worn so much that the thread shows : shabby
2 : not effective because of overuse a threadbare excuse

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More from Merriam-Webster on threadbare

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with threadbare

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for threadbare

Spanish Central: Translation of threadbare

Nglish: Translation of threadbare for Spanish Speakers

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