noun

bromide

/ˈbroʊmaɪd/ · say it: BROH·myd

a dull, unoriginal remark meant to soothe

In From the Opinion Pages

In more detail

1. (noun) a chemical compound containing bromine, often used in medicines to treat anxiety or as a sedative

2. (noun) a boring or dull person; someone who is not interesting

3. (noun) a dull or overused saying; a cliché

Examples

1. Bromide was commonly prescribed as a sleeping pill in the early 20th century.
2. He's such a bromide at parties—he never says anything funny or interesting.
3. His speech was full of bromides about working hard and never giving up.

How to use bromide

Bromide has three distinct senses: a chemical sense (least common in everyday speech), a person who is dull or tedious, and most commonly, an overused saying or cliché. The person and saying senses are informal and somewhat dated, appearing more in literary or somewhat old-fashioned contexts. It carries a dismissive tone when applied to statements or people.

Common phrases

tired bromide
old bromide
mere bromide
chemical bromide
potassium bromide

Synonyms

cliché · platitude · banality · sedative · tranquilizer

Opposites

novelty · original thought

Word family

bromidic · bromidical

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse bromide with bromidic (the adjective form); bromide itself is a noun, while bromidic means 'dull' or 'hackneyed' and functions as an adjective.

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