# stale

/ˈsteɪɫ/ (US) · /stˈeɪl/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stale
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

describing food that is no longer fresh, usually because it has been sitting out for too long. It can also describe an idea or a joke that feels old and boring.

For teachers: referring to food, especially bread or pastry, that has become hard, dry, or unpalatable due to age. By extension, describes ideas, arguments, or activities that have lost their originality or excitement through repetition.

## Examples

- The bread went stale because I left the bag open.
- The air in the small, windowless office felt stale and heavy after the long meeting.
- The candidate's campaign began to falter as voters grew weary of his stale rhetoric and lack of concrete policy proposals.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used both literally for food and figuratively for abstract concepts like air, ideas, or relationships.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.