No longer fresh and pleasant to eat; hard, musty, or dry. adjective
The bread was stale, so we decided to make breadcrumbs out of it.
After sitting out for a few days, the cookies became stale and unappetizing.
No longer new and interesting or exciting; no longer able to perform well or creatively because of having done something for too long. adjective
The comedian's jokes were stale, having been heard many times before.
After working in the same job for ten years, she felt her skills were becoming stale.
Of a person: tired or no longer able to perform well due to overwork or lack of change. adjective
He felt stale after working non-stop for several weeks without a break.
The athlete's performance was stale, indicating a need for rest and recovery.
Urine, especially that of animals. noun
The stable smelled of stale, which needed to be cleaned regularly.
Farmers often have to deal with the stale of livestock.