vanilla

adjective

Definition of vanillanext
as in boring
lacking in distinctive features or qualities a plain vanilla version of a song that's been recorded more times than necessary

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of vanilla The court has ruled that the companies must develop a new product formula that does not include vanilla derived from non-vanilla plant sources within 12 months of the settlement’s finalization, according to the news release. — Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vanilla
  1. boring
  2. neutral
  3. beige
  4. nondescript
  5. featureless
Adjective
  • Now the seven most boring, starting with the most tolerable (comments edited for grammar and clarity).
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026
  • It’s been a boring week for Makyah, who’s in third grade at Banneker Elementary.
    — Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • Similarly, Roderick Crooks has demonstrated that Ed Tech’s algorithmic systems are not race-neutral.
    — Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The Angle Wedge Pillow's distinctive triangular shape cradles your legs and knees at a precise 45-degree angle to relieve tension in your back, while the Knee-T keeps legs, hips and spine in a neutral position to reduce pressure on your lower back.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of neutral
Adjective
  • The bold color palette of Hathaway’s Aquazzura shoes spoke to a vibrant spin on the cap-toe heels trend, popularized by Chanel’s quintessential black and beige style introduced in 1957.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Curled up in a chair on the top floor of The Times’ offices in El Segundo, looking down on the runways of LAX boiling in the late July sun, Williams gives runway fierceness against the beige office walls.
    — Maureen Lee Lenker, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of beige
Adjective
  • Only 6-1 but fast and athletic, Willis was a third-round pick in a bad NFL Draft for quarterbacks in 2022, the third passer taken after nondescript Kenny Pickett and Desmond Ridder.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026
  • After all the glowing testaments to his character, the apartment was startlingly nondescript.
    — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of nondescript
Adjective
  • Last year, Hershey prevailed in a lawsuit that claimed Reese's featureless Halloween pumpkins were a consumer letdown.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The largely featureless landscape is crucial because NASA technicians know exactly how much reflected light satellites’ optical instruments should see in the area.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of featureless

Browse Nearby Words

vanguards
vanilla
vanish
See all Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Vanilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vanilla. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vanilla

Nglish: Translation of vanilla for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vanilla

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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