bromide
noun

- a remark or statement that, although it might be true, is boring and has no meaning because it has been said so many times before

- any of the salts of hydrobromic acid; formerly used as a sedative but now generally replaced by safer drugs

Cambridge Dictionary / Vocabulary(dot)com

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WORD ORIGIN

The word "bromide" comes from the Greek word "βρῶμος" (brômos), meaning “stink, stench, foul odour". This is a reference to the pungent smell of bromine, the element from which bromides are derived.

The first recorded use of the word "bromide" in English is from the early 17th century. It was originally used to refer to any compound of bromine, but it is now most commonly used to refer to inorganic bromide salts.

The word "bromide" is also used figuratively to mean a dull, boring, or unoriginal statement or idea. This is because bromides were often used as sedatives, which can dull the senses and make people feel sleepy.

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BETTER THAN BROMIDES

Over the course of time, originally powerful metaphors can become tired and weary. It’s better to replace them with more refreshing alternatives. Here are some suggestions:

- Instead of “think out of the box”,… say "embrace unconventional ideas" or “explore beyond the ordinary”.

- Instead of "elephant in the room”,… say "unspoken issue" or "obvious but unaddressed concern”.

- Instead of “put all your eggs in one basket”,… say "risk everything on a single bet” or “overcommit to one option”.

- Instead of “win-win situation”,… say “mutually beneficial outcome” or “a positive outcome for all parties”.

- Instead of “it is what it is”,… say “accept the reality” or “acknowledge the situation as it stands”.

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SYNONYMS

adage, aphorism, banality, bland expression (remark), BROMIDE, cliché, common old saying, commonplace (phrase), dull old saying (remark, truism), empty statement, hackneyed maxim (phrase, remark, maxim), old chestnut, ordinary expression, overused expression (phrase, remark), platitude, predictable remark, run-of-the-mill platitude, stale aphorism, (maxim, old adage, old saying, platitude, proverb, remark, truism), stagnant phrase (truism), stereotype, stuck record, threadbare cliché (expression), tired old cliché, tiresome maxim (saying), trite expression, truism, uninspired adage (phrase), unoriginal remark (statement), weary adage, well-worn phrase, worn-out adage

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation, say something like:

“I’ve been thinking about my favourite BROMIDE ‘think out of the box’ and have decided to replace it with ‘embrace unconventional ideas’.”

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