same old story

noun

What usually happens; an occurrence that is tediously familiar.

“She trots out the same old excuses every time she's late.”

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Meanings

nounthe same old story
  1. idiomaticWhat usually happens; an occurrence that is tediously familiar.

    She trots out the same old excuses every time she's late.

    2 more examples

    It’s the same old story / Everywhere I go / I get slandered, libeled

    1970, Paul Simon, “Keep The Customer Satisfied”, in Bridge Over Troubled Water, performed by Simon and Garfunkel

    New manager, same old story, even if the home crowd would like to trust there is better to come.

    2014 August 16, Daniel Taylor, “Swansea upstage Manchester United in Louis van Gaal’s Premier League bow”, in The Guardian

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
same old same old

Translations

Catalan la història de sempre
  • la història de semprethe repetition of an annoying occurrence
Chinese Mandarin 老一套
  • 老一套 (lǎoyītào)the repetition of an annoying occurrence
Czech pořád ta samá písnička
  • pořád ta samá písničkathe repetition of an annoying occurrence
Dutch hetzelfde liedje
  • hetzelfde liedjethe repetition of an annoying occurrence
Finnish sama vanha juttu
  • sama vanha juttuthe repetition of an annoying occurrence
French métro, boulot, dodo, la routine
  • métro, boulot, dodothe repetition of an annoying occurrence
  • la routinethe repetition of an annoying occurrence
German die alte Leier
  • die alte Leierthe repetition of an annoying occurrence
Hindi ढाक के तीन पात
  • ढाक के तीन पात (ḍhāk ke tīn pāt)the repetition of an annoying occurrence
Hungarian a régi nóta
  • a régi nótathe repetition of an annoying occurrence
Italian solita storia
  • solita storiathe repetition of an annoying occurrence
Japanese 相変わらず
  • 相変わらず (aikawarazu)the repetition of an annoying occurrence
Polish stara śpiewka
  • stara śpiewkathe repetition of an annoying occurrence
Portuguese o mesmo de sempre
  • o mesmo de semprethe repetition of an annoying occurrence
Russian та́ же исто́рия
  • та́ же исто́рия (tá že istórija)the repetition of an annoying occurrence
Spanish cantaleta, sota, caballo y rey
  • cantaletathe repetition of an annoying occurrence
  • sota, caballo y reythe repetition of an annoying occurrence
  • cantilenathe repetition of an annoying occurrence
  • cantinelathe repetition of an annoying occurrence
Swedish samma gamla visa
  • samma gamla visathe repetition of an annoying occurrence
Turkish aynı hikaye, eski hamam eski tas
  • aynı hikayethe repetition of an annoying occurrence
  • eski hamam eski tasthe repetition of an annoying occurrence
Cite this entry
APA

same old story. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/same%20old%20story

MLA

“same old story.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/same%20old%20story. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “same old story,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/same%20old%20story.

Source: same old story on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.