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How did vanilla get such a bad rap? The flavor with that name certainly has enough fans, with the bean of the Vanilla genus of orchids finding its way into products ranging from ice cream to coffee to perfumes to air fresheners. Vanilla's unfortunate reputation arose due to its being regarded as the "basic" flavor among ice-cream selections, particularly as more complex flavors emerged on the market. (Its somewhat beigey color probably didn't help.) From there, people began using the adjective to describe anything plain, ordinary, or conventional.
Synonyms
Examples of vanilla in a Sentence
Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 3 July 2024
Official tasting notes describe dry corn, cake batter, vanilla, and white pepper on the nose, followed by green grass and white pepper on the palate.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 3 July 2024
We were presented with 14 samples of vanilla ice cream.
—Amanda Hobor, CNN, 2 July 2024
Hudsonville Ice Cream is away its Super Scoop bars on the circle from 2 to 3 p.m.
The bars are made with swirls of black cherry, Blue Moon and vanilla ice cream, a Michigan favorite combination commonly called Superman.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for vanilla 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vanilla.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Vanilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vanilla. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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