stale Definition
- 1no longer fresh and pleasant to eat; hard, musty, or dry
- 2lacking in energy, enthusiasm, or effectiveness
Using stale: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "stale" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The bread had gone stale and was no longer edible.
Example
The air in the room was stale and stuffy.
Example
The team's performance has become stale and predictable.
Example
The comedian's jokes were stale and unoriginal.
Example
Their relationship had grown stale over time.
stale Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for stale
Antonyms for stale
Idioms Using stale
Example
His ideas were stale as yesterday's news, and nobody wanted to work with him anymore.
Example
The old textbooks were stale bread and needed to be replaced.
Example
The movie was stale beer, and we left before it was over.
Phrases with stale
a situation in which further action or progress by opposing parties seems impossible
Example
The negotiations reached a stalemate, with neither side willing to compromise.
Example
By the time the article was published, it was already stale news.
Example
The basement had a stale scent due to the lack of ventilation.
Origins of stale
from Old English 'steal', meaning 'stiff'
Summary: stale in Brief
The adjective 'stale' [steɪl] describes something that is no longer fresh or appealing, such as food or air. It can also refer to a lack of energy or enthusiasm, as in 'The team's performance has become stale and predictable.' 'Stale' is often used in phrases like 'stalemate,' which denotes a deadlock, and idioms like 'stale bread,' meaning something that is no longer useful or valuable.
