The earlier symbols of the war had become hackneyed, and had lost their power to unify.

The Blue Danube does not become hackneyed, even though you wonder how often that river appears blue.

The world in which he lives, the themes upon which he writes, never become hackneyed to him.

What causes a phrase to become hackneyed?

And the verse of a song, sung so often as to have become hackneyed, rang in her ears-

Trite words, similes and metaphors which have become hackneyed and worn out should be allowed to rest in the oblivion of past usage.

Then followed all the arguments, and some of the texts,-bothof which were gradually becoming hackneyed in the matter.