1. lacking originality, freshness, or novelty; dull

Examples

• The movie’s plot was so banal that I fell asleep halfway through.
• His speech was filled with banal phrases about working hard and following your dreams.
• The restaurant’s decor was disappointingly banal for such an expensive place.
• She avoided making banal small talk at the party.
• The author’s latest novel was criticized for its banal dialogue.
• What seemed like a profound insight was actually quite banal upon reflection.