stereotypical
adjective
ste·reo·typ·i·cal
ˌster-ē-ə-ˈti-pi-kəl 
1
or less commonly stereotypic
: conforming to a fixed or general pattern or type especially when of an oversimplified or prejudiced nature : of, relating to, or constituting a stereotype
Charlie Stuart represents a new breed of motorcyclists who are erasing the stereotypical black-leather-jacket, tough-guy image that plagued motorcyclists since the violent Hollywood productions of the Fifties.—
Sue Browder
Sue BrowderHis book concedes that progress has been made in a sheerly numerical sense, but it argues that overall the black presence on television has been an endless recycling of a passel of injuriously stereotypical images.—John McWhorter
John McWhorter2
or stereotypic
: of, relating to, or marked by stereotypy
a
medical
: characterized by frequent repetition of the same, typically purposeless movement, gesture, posture, or vocal sound or utterance
Other stereotypical behaviors such as hand flapping and chewing on clothing or objects may be connected to sensory processing problems or anxiety.—Cori Urban
Cori Urban… periodic leg movements during sleep, commonly known as nocturnal myoclonus—rapid, stereotypic, and periodic flexion of the legs and feet associated with repeated awakenings throughout the night.—Patricia N. Prinz et al.
Patricia N. Prinz et al.
b
veterinary medicine
: characterized by abnormal repetitive behavior
Many animals cope with unstimulating or small environments through stereotypic behavior … such as pacing, bar biting …—Laura Smith
Laura Smith
stereotypically
adverb
She wanted her staff to work together and get along. So on a hot July night, Katharine Graham did a stereotypically female thing: She threw a party.
—Judith M. Havemann
Judith M. Havemann
Examples of stereotypical in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Breeze over to Main Street to shop for treasures at Back in the Day Books and Lafayette & Rushford Home, which supply anything but stereotypical souvenirs.
—Katie Strasberg Rousso, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
For decades, doctors viewed ADHD as a condition that only affected male children—the stereotypical hyperactive boy.
—Daliah Singer, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 July 2025
Ma and Pa Kent are the most stereotypical country bumpkins imaginable.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
And such coverage comes at a cost: according to Africa No Filter, a media advocacy organization, the continent could be losing up to $4.2 billion annually because of stereotypical narratives.
—Zain Verjee, semafor.com, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stereotypical
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Katie Strasberg Rousso, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
For decades, doctors viewed ADHD as a condition that only affected male children—the stereotypical hyperactive boy.
—Daliah Singer, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 July 2025
Ma and Pa Kent are the most stereotypical country bumpkins imaginable.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
And such coverage comes at a cost: according to Africa No Filter, a media advocacy organization, the continent could be losing up to $4.2 billion annually because of stereotypical narratives.
—Zain Verjee, semafor.com, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stereotypical
Cite this Entry
“Stereotypical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stereotypical. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
stereotypical
adjective
ste·reo·typ·i·cal
ˌster-ē-ə-ˈtip-i-kəl
variants
or stereotypic
: of, relating to, or marked by stereotypy:
a
: characterized by frequent repetition of the same, typically purposeless movement, gesture, posture, or vocal sound or utterance
Other stereotypical behaviors such as hand flapping and chewing on clothing or objects may be connected to sensory processing problems or anxiety.—Cori Urban
Cori Urban… periodic leg movements during sleep, commonly known as nocturnal myoclonus—rapid, stereotypic, and periodic flexion of the legs and feet associated with repeated awakenings throughout the night.—Patricia N. Prinz et al.
Patricia N. Prinz et al.
b
veterinary medicine
: characterized by abnormal repetitive behavior
Many animals cope with unstimulating or small environments through stereotypic behavior … such as pacing, bar biting, and Gus' figure-eight swimming.—Laura Smith
Laura SmithLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share