1
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest another moralizing tale filled with jejune platitudes

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word jejune distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of jejune are banal, flat, inane, insipid, and vapid. While all these words mean "devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character," jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance.

a jejune and gassy speech

When might banal be a better fit than jejune?

While the synonyms banal and jejune are close in meaning, banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy.

a banal tale of unrequited love

Where would flat be a reasonable alternative to jejune?

While in some cases nearly identical to jejune, flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest.

although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat

In what contexts can inane take the place of jejune?

The words inane and jejune are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality.

an inane interpretation of the play

When is insipid a more appropriate choice than jejune?

The words insipid and jejune can be used in similar contexts, but insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest.

an insipid romance with platitudes on every page

When would vapid be a good substitute for jejune?

In some situations, the words vapid and jejune are roughly equivalent. However, vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit.

an exciting story given a vapid treatment

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for jejune
Adjective
  • Anything that isn’t someone bleeding out is boring to them, that kind of thing.
    Maria Fontoura, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2025
  • But here, it’s all viewed through a workplace-comedy format, which captures the kind of boring ordinariness of typical medical care while also getting at some of the big frustrations of understaffing.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • That was a childish goal of the sort that had led her to challenge deëxtinction for so many years.
    D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Saying that people are childish and should show more journalistic integrity in a piece like this is missing the point.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Amelia soon decides that stupid boys (and humans in general) aren't worth keeping around.
    Nick Romano, EW.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Sharing war plans outside U.S. government systems is the kind of offense that is almost too stupid to commit.
    Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • He’s been there; Harper was emotional — at times, immature — as a younger player.
    Matt Gelb, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
  • From its opening scenes, Severance has presented the procedure the show is named for as a kind of birth, the spawning of a new, immature being.
    Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Of course, going from shows to pickleball classes to after-hours jam sessions at B.B. King’s Blues Club can be tiring.
    DeMarco Williams, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Sanchez added a selfie from bed, sharing how tiring her pregnancy is.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • After reaming her besties out for having not changed at all since their teen years, Laurie reverts back to her adolescent self.
    Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Hope, an adolescent red wolf from one of the cloned litters produced by Colossal.
    Emily Mullin, Wired News, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Of the slow, unsexy work of loving someone even in the worst times.
    Ruhama Wolle, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The slowest builder finished before the one who overslept.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Adult males, called boars, are emerging from their dens this month, with females and juvenile bears expected to follow in April and early May.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Paulo needed physical therapy to recover from several surgeries to shorten her left leg to the length of her right leg — the difference a consequence of juvenile arthritis.
    Jordan Rau, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Jejune.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jejune. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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