unoriginal
adjective
un·orig·i·nal ˌən-ə-ˈrj-jə-nᵊl 
-ˈrij-nəl
: lacking originality : not original
an unoriginal idea
a movie with a highly unoriginal plot
an unoriginal thinker
Synonyms
- apish
- canned
- emulative
- epigonic
- epigonous
- formulaic
- imitative
- mimetic
- mimic
- slavish
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Give me a break, Duffer Brothers, with this unoriginal nonsense. 
Erik Kain, Forbes, 6 July 2022 What’s most frustrating about Icke’s otherwise intriguing approach is the inessential, and, by now, highly unoriginal, incorporation of high tech. New York Times, 30 June 2022 As more artists try to make it on the app, TikTok viewers have become increasingly vocal in their criticism of unoriginal music. Morgan Sung, NBC News, 24 May 2022 Scott Sanchez, Kai’s coach, confirmed this unoriginal theory and added a key element. William Finnegan, The New Yorker, 23 May 2022 On these points, the lawyerly former president makes a pretty unimpeachable, if unoriginal, case. Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2022 Due to the proliferation of social media, wedding styles can quickly feel overused, unoriginal, and even worse, dated. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 14 Dec. 2021 With the case closed, Torres apologies to Parker for accidentally complaining about him in a public post on the new app, and Parker proves himself to be a chill boss, critiquing Torres for unoriginal language. Sara Netzley, EW.com, 9 Nov. 2021 At the time, Chinese phone brands still had a reputation as makers of unoriginal handsets that borrowed design elements from Apple. Ben Sin, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2021 See More
Erik Kain, Forbes, 6 July 2022 What’s most frustrating about Icke’s otherwise intriguing approach is the inessential, and, by now, highly unoriginal, incorporation of high tech. New York Times, 30 June 2022 As more artists try to make it on the app, TikTok viewers have become increasingly vocal in their criticism of unoriginal music. Morgan Sung, NBC News, 24 May 2022 Scott Sanchez, Kai’s coach, confirmed this unoriginal theory and added a key element. William Finnegan, The New Yorker, 23 May 2022 On these points, the lawyerly former president makes a pretty unimpeachable, if unoriginal, case. Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2022 Due to the proliferation of social media, wedding styles can quickly feel overused, unoriginal, and even worse, dated. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 14 Dec. 2021 With the case closed, Torres apologies to Parker for accidentally complaining about him in a public post on the new app, and Parker proves himself to be a chill boss, critiquing Torres for unoriginal language. Sara Netzley, EW.com, 9 Nov. 2021 At the time, Chinese phone brands still had a reputation as makers of unoriginal handsets that borrowed design elements from Apple. Ben Sin, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
1749, in the meaning defined above
unoriginal
adjective
as in imitative
using or marked by the use of something else as a basis or model critics faulted the novel for having a painfully unoriginal plot Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- imitative
- formulaic
- imitation
- copied
- misleading
- mock
- canned
- slavish
- deceptive
- mimetic
- false
- apish
- emulative
- fraudulent
- mimic
- plagiarized
- epigonous
- epigonic
- synthetic
- artificial
- fake
- cribbed
- uninspired
- duplicated
- counterfeit
- reproduced
- bogus
- sham
- factitious
- photocopied
- simulated
- substitute
- transcribed
- reduplicated
- forged
- perfunctory
- routine
- backup
- man-made
- cut-and-dry
- cut-and-dried
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- original
- true
- legitimate
- authentic
- real
- archetypal
- bona fide
- natural
- archetypical
- genuine
- classic
- ideal
- model