From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthe same old story/excuse etcthe same old story/excuse etcinformalUSUALLY something that you have heard many times before – used especially to show disapproval It’s the same old story – his wife didn’t really love him. → same
Examples from the Corpus
the same old story/excuse etc• For those who claimed to have seen or heard it all before, racism was always the same old story.• It's always the same old story.• It seems to be the same old story.• Oh, you know - it's the same old story.• Sounds like the same old story really. 