Website Offers Searchable Database of Cliches

Posted on November 23, 2005

The Cliché Finder offers a searchable database of over 3,300 clichés. Enter cat into the search box and you will get results like "cat got your tongue?," "cat's pajamas" and "curiosity killed the cat."

But what exactly is a cliché and how does the site decide what sentences to put it its database. Morgan Friedman, the creator of the website, says, "A cliche is not just something that lots of people say; It's something that lots of people say and it conveys some sort of idea or message. A cliche is, in other words, a metaphor characterized by its overuse."

He also has a test he uses to determine whether or not a sentence is a cliché. His quick test is to read the first half of the sentence and see if he can finish it. He then asks himself, "do I just know (because everyone knows) how the sentence ends?"

Morgan also says, "Someone recently submitted, 'The gene pool could use a little chlorine.' I knew this wasn't a cliche because when I say, 'The gene pool could use what?' I don't know how to end the sentence."

The Cliché Finder also provides an option to submit a cliché. And just for fun you can click on the ten random clichés feature. The site has indexed over 3,300 clichés.