1
a
: smooth and soothing in manner or quality
bland approval
a bland smile
b
: exhibiting no personal concern or embarrassment : unperturbed
a bland confession of guilt
2
a
: not irritating, stimulating, or invigorating : soothing
a bland oil
the bland climate of the southern coast
c
: lacking strong flavor
Expect both kinds of salsify to be subtle and delicate—too bland for some tastebuds.—
Elizabeth Schneider
Elizabeth SchneiderSynonyms
Examples of bland in a Sentence
The vegetable soup was rather bland.
The diplomat's bland statement did nothing to calm the situation.
Recent Examples on the Web
The team initially struggled, and so did Saleh’s defense, which in 2018 was criticized for being too bland and at times too discombobulated.
—Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
Compelling subject matter only goes so far when presented in such a bland, familiar manner.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2025
Although a fairly simple dish on the surface, a pasta salad can very quickly become a mushy, bland mess.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025
This aspect of the game has been simplified to the point where the options are often just bland.
—Echo Apsey, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bland 
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Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
Compelling subject matter only goes so far when presented in such a bland, familiar manner.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2025
Although a fairly simple dish on the surface, a pasta salad can very quickly become a mushy, bland mess.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025
This aspect of the game has been simplified to the point where the options are often just bland.
—Echo Apsey, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bland
Dictionary Entries Near bland
Cite this Entry
“Bland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bland. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
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