Definition
To have experienced a situation which is the same as or similar to the current situation, especially with a sense of the unpleasantness or tiresomeness of the recurring situation.
In Context
- "The 2008 presidential race may have been branded a "change" election, but abortion rights advocates have seen this movie before."
- "After the defeat of the Soviets in 1989, civil war, state collapse and Taliban victory followed. The Afghan people have seen this movie already."
- "Dominic Rossi, global chief investment officer at Fidelity, said […] “We have seen this movie before. […] One emerging market country after another gets left stranded.”"
- "According to Mary Rasenberger, executive director of the Authors Guild, this “blatantly commercial use of expressive authorship” comes as no surprise. “We’ve seen this movie before.”"
- "After bringing in a new management team that made changes such as upgrading the quality of the company’s products and tailoring them to its customer base, the firm helped it go public. It now has the most stores of any U.S. retail chain. Firms “bring resources and capabilities and [have]^([sic]) seen the movie before,” Kapp said."