threadbare
|thread-bare|
🇺🇸
/ˈθrɛdˌbɛr/
🇬🇧
/ˈθrɛdˌbeə(r)/
worn to the threads
Etymology
'threadbare' originates from English, formed from the words 'thread' and 'bare', where 'thread' meant 'a single filament' and 'bare' meant 'bare, thin'.
'threadbare' appeared in Middle English as 'thredbare' (or similar spellings) and developed into the modern English 'threadbare'.
Initially it meant 'worn thin so that threads show', and over time the sense was extended metaphorically to mean 'trite' or 'insubstantial' in other contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
(of cloth or clothing) worn so that the threads show; shabby and thin from overuse.
He wore a threadbare coat despite the cold.
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Adjective 2
(of an argument, excuse, idea) used so often that it is no longer effective; hackneyed or trite.
The politician offered a threadbare excuse for his absence.
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Adjective 3
(of resources, plot, or material) meager, weak, or insubstantial.
Critics called the play's plot threadbare and predictable.
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Last updated: 2025/12/21 00:59