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Cliches Done to Death
This is my growing list of some of the most overused words and phrases that really ought to be retired.
Like
"And he was like, 'Seriously?,' and I'm like, 'Yeah,' and he's like, 'No way,' and I'm like..."Aaauuuuuuggggghhhhhhh! Make it stop!
For some reason, "like" is more annoying than filler words such as "uh" and "um." Those filler words convey nervousness or low self-confidence. "Like" is, like, vacuous.
You Know
This one is ALMOST as bad as "like." To my dismay, "you know" is a dear friend of "like." They always hang out together."It's, like, you know..."
Whatever
The problem with this word isn't just that it's overused. The biggest problem I have with "whatever" is that it expresses contempt. It's dismissive, the verbal equivalent of rolling your eyes. Even if contempt is deserved, saying "whatever" rarely makes the speaker look good. 
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My Two Cents
This one is a crutch for almost everyone. I've even used it from time to time. This phrase is innocuous enough and doesn't seem to make people throw fits, but it is getting a little worn and tired. Literally
"Literally" isn't a word you use for emphasis. It's a word you use when you say something that shouldn't just be interpreted figuratively. For example, if you jumped so high that you bumped your head, you could say, "I literally hit the ceiling."
But if you say that you literally worked your butt off, it doesn't mean you worked really hard. It means you don't have a butt anymore.
Then again, people overuse the word "literally" even if they're technically using it correctly. If you drove your car into a ditch, you can just say so and leave it at that. People probably don't need to hear the word "literally" to understand what you're saying.
Think Outside the Box
OK, time to put this business cliche back in the box now.This buzzword was used to death by business execs who thought it sounded good. It promotes creative thinking, yet it has been repeated so much that it's become musty, flat, and uninspiring. It also sounds pretentious.
It's Not Rocket Science
Fortunately I don't hear this one much any more, but I remember a time when it came up a lot. Something about it makes me twitch. Can't we say "It's not brain surgery" instead? 
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F*** Off!
Much as I dislike cussing, I realize that colorful obscenities are a part of just about every language. Everyone has their own form of swearing, even if they say something mild like "darn it" or make up something silly like "fummydoodles."The problem is that when profanity is overused, it makes many people uncomfortable. It's unprofessional and reflects badly on the speaker. And finally, the words themselves lose their power with overuse.
If four-letter-words are always used for the most mundane things--dropping your keys, criticizing the slow service at a restaurant, complaining when someone forgets to put the juice back in the fridge--are they still powerful enough to express outrage when someone steals your wallet or parks in front of your driveway?
Think of the Children
A stinky political cliche that tries to make you feel guilty if you're opposed to some law that drains your pocketbook or violates your rights in some way. If you're not willing to give up some freedoms (or at least the conveniences you grew up with), you must be in favor of child abuse. How dare you put your own selfish whims ahead of the children! Grammar Nazi T-shirt
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But Wait!
But wait, there's more! Call now and you'll get this fabulous egg-laying, multi-purpose rubber chicken ABSOLUTELY FREE! Wow! Awesome
A lot of people say they HATE this one. They're all but screaming and tearing their hair out over it.According to Dictionary.com, "awesome" is a word that means "inspiring awe." But what does "awe" mean? "An overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like."
There aren't a lot of truly awesome things in the world.
No Problem
I feel sorry for anyone who works in customer service and says "no problem" when anyone thanks them. If the comments at the bottom of this page are any indication, these well-meaning people are going to get mauled by someone who's sick of hearing it.Say "you're welcome" instead. It's safer!
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At the End of the Day
Properly translated, "at the end of the day" means, "I'm about to say something clever and profound!"Every time a newscaster utters this hackneyed phrase, somebody pukes.
I Could Care Less
If you say this, you're saying that you DO care. Because if you DIDN'T care, it would be impossible to care less than you actually do.That's why the phrase is correctly said, "I couldn't care less."
My Bad
My favorite definition of "my bad" comes from Urban Dictionary:"I did something bad, and I recognize that I did something bad, but there is nothing that can be done for it now, and there is technically no reason to apologize for that error, so let's just assume that I won't do it again, get over it, and move on with our lives."
Not only is "my bad" grammatically incorrect, it's a flippant apology.
Victoria's Overused Words and Phrases
- Otherwise
- For example
- For some reason
- For the most part
- I dunno
- I guess
- I think
- In general
- People
- Probably
- Something like that
- Tend
- Well
Some words are used heavily because it's HARD find a substitute for perfectly good words that convey the right meaning or tone. Other words are difficult to give up because they're so comfortably ingrained in our habits.
Related Lenses
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Commonly Misused Words in the English Language
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Has anybody ever snapped at you for misusing a word? It's not nice to nitpick, but the truth is, you'll sound awfully funny if you use the wrong word. (I always want to giggle when I see "bare with me...") If you're ever in doubt as to whether you'r...
What's Your Pet Peeve?
What's a word or phrase that really bugs you?
inkserotica wrote...
Ooops! my blog (meaning I do), Squidalogue Promotion uses 'thinking outside of the box'! time for a change, I think ;) 5*
Posted April 28, 2009
DCKT
"So...." How I loathe thee... How hard is it to NOT use that word all of the time? Example #1) "We went to dinner and then went bowling, so...."....So? So....what? What did you do after that? Leave "so" at the end of your sentence and I'm thinking you're about to say something else. Example #2) "So we're talking about the increase in productivity....". Again, is it really that difficult to not simply say "Today we're talking..." or "Alright, today we'll be discussing...". I can stomach "so" as a single-word sentence, as in "So?", but using it to begin or end a sentence is simply making you go "ba-a-a-a-a-a-a" as you follow all the other ill-spoken sheep in the crowd.
Posted February 09, 2009
Vespino
I had to add a few more:
"Can I ask your a question?" or "Let me ask you a question"
Another term that is still persistent popped up about two years ago in the midwest and south of the U.S. is when people say "Do what?" in place of the perfectly acceptable "What?" or "Please say that again".
No, don't DO anything other than clean the potatoes out of your ears and listen up!
Shoot (you) a e-mail. Don't open the attachement, '50 cal.' no no no!
Other people have listed this one but this is on my all-time list of banned phrases: 'Moving forward' (during some dumb meeting). Usually you say something that may or may not be on topic and the 'team leader' (hhah!) will cut you of and say "Mmoooving forward... " as if to tell you and your co-workers, "I really don't care what you said". It's just plain rude and plants the seeds of (well deserved) resentment.
Ok, I'll shut it now...and move forward!
Posted February 02, 2009
Vespino
Ah, a place to rant!
Catch phrases ebb and flow at my work. The one that irritates me the most right now is 'gotcha'. The crowd around me says "gotcha" in place of saying, "I agree". When I think of 'gotcha' I think of 'HA! I trapped you!'.
Another one that makes my blood pressure rise is, 'fair enough'. Really? Is is JUST fair enough? Not too fair, mind you. Better than less than fair I guess. Is it sort of the Goldielocks of fair?
More I HAAAATE:
Let's touch base (alt: just touching base with you) please no more touching at work
Squared away (is that outside the box?)
FYI (I think of it as an obscene acronym)
On the horn (as in get somebody on the phone)
Good Lord!
Awesome (when I hear somebody say that I blurt out: "More awesome than the Universe?")
No worries (really, let the Austrailians have it back, that includes Outback restaurant employees)
I have more but I'm reaching my quota here!
Posted February 02, 2009
by Victoria_Neely
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