
Related to boilerplate: Boilerplate code


1. Steel in the form of flat plates used in making steam boilers.
2. Journalistic material, such as syndicated features, made available by agencies in a form that is already typeset, originally in plate form, for easy incorporation into publications such as newspapers.
3. Hackneyed or conventional language, usually expressing a generally accepted viewpoint: "He offered little more than boilerplate, a few watery clichés about how nations needed to work together" (Bill Turque).
4. Standardized or set language that is meant to be used repeatedly, often in organizational publications or legal documents: "This was the story he told her ... when they first met and the story he stuck to, the original boilerplate" (Philip Roth).
5. Sports Snow having a hard icy crust on its surface.


1. (General Engineering) a form of mild-steel plate used in the production of boiler shells
2. a copy made with the intention of making other copies from it
3. a set of instructions incorporated in several places in a computer program or a standard form of words used repeatedly in drafting contracts, guarantees, etc
4. (Commerce) a draft contract that can easily be modified to cover various types of transaction
to incorporate standard material automatically in a text


or boil′er plate`,

1. plating of iron or steel for making the shells of boilers, covering the hulls of ships, etc.
b. trite, hackneyed writing.
3. phrases used repeatedly, as in correspondence.
4. the detailed standard wording of a contract.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.boilerplate - standard formulations uniformly found in certain types of legal documents or news stories
formulation, expression - the style of expressing yourself; "he suggested a better formulation"; "his manner of expression showed how much he cared"
2.boilerplate - thick plate iron used in the production of boilers
boiler, steam boiler - sealed vessel where water is converted to steam
plate iron - a plate of iron
References in classic literature ?
The express terms include none of the staples of boilerplate contracting: none of the legal terms, the conditions, the assumptions of risk, or the instructions for courts.
Limitations on liability, merger clauses and indemnifications are perfect examples of contract boilerplate that parties mistakenly believe are perfunctory, risk-free terms, but in fact are rife with risk for the unwary.
of Michigan) brings to light that if disputes arise, the terms in those boilerplate contracts could deprive people of their rights.
Unfortunately, more times than not, the solution applied is a boilerplate combination of overtime, temporary labor and temporary work redistribution to other departments.
He also excised the boilerplate leftist feminism, leaving out, for instance, the line that Jesus was "the original feminist." He even permits Professor Langdon to mount at least some defense of traditional Christian beliefs.
Typically, such boilerplate agreements and contracts are used by governmental entities for all independent contractors.
The April issue of the newsletter includes stories on risk management, the applicability of performance management and quantitative decision support for law firms, avoiding boilerplate traps in commercial leases and billing options analysis for law firms.
Republicans still hold twenty-eight governorships, and the American Legislative Ex-change Council (ALEC) funnels millions of dollars in corporate money to wine and dine legislators, sending them on fancy vacations, and providing them with boilerplate legislation so they can go home and deregulate industry and push a rightwing social agenda.
We all know the boilerplate language: "who asked that her name be disclosed" or "spoke on the condition of anonymity" and so forth.
Behind and beyond boilerplate : drafting commercial agreements.