Stale

/steɪl/

Meaning & Definition

noun

Something that is stale; specifically, stale food.

The restaurant had to throw away the stale that remained from last week's orders.

adjective

No longer fresh and pleasant to eat; hard, musty, or dry.

The bread was stale after sitting out for a week.

Having lost novelty or originality; trite or worn-out.

The comedian's jokes felt stale and failed to amuse the audience.

No longer in use; outdated.

His opinions on technology seem stale and out of touch with current trends.

Middle English 'stal', from Old English 'stæle', meaning 'stale bread'.

stale joke

A joke that has been told many times and is no longer funny.

stale story

A narrative that lacks novelty or freshness.

stale air

Air that is not fresh, often due to lack of circulation.

fresh

Recently made or obtained; not stale.

new

Recent; not old or stale.

ancient

Very old; not fresh.

Boring or unoriginal, often in reference to ideas or content.

The presentation was so stale that half the audience fell asleep.

Referring to a situation that has become tedious or repetitive.

After a few months, their relationship felt stale.