threadbare
UK: /ˈθredbeə(r)/ | US: /ˈθredber/
adj. (of fabric) worn and thin from overuse
adj. (of an idea, argument, etc.) overused and lacking originality
The word "threadbare" combines "thread" (from Old English þrǣd, meaning a fine strand of fiber) and "bare" (from Old English bær, meaning uncovered or exposed). It originally described fabric so worn that the threads were visibly exposed, later extending metaphorically to describe ideas or arguments that are overused and lack substance. The imagery of literal threadbare clothing vividly conveys the concept of exhaustion or depletion.
His threadbare coat barely kept him warm in the winter wind.
The sofa’s threadbare upholstery revealed years of heavy use.
Her threadbare excuses failed to convince the teacher.
The novel’s plot felt threadbare, recycling old tropes without innovation.
Threadbare carpets covered the floors of the abandoned house.