The term logomisia (from the Greek for "word hatred") refers to a strong dislike for a word or phrase based on its sound, meaning, usage, or associations.
It's clear that many of you have experienced such word aversion.
Readers who contributed to our list of 200 Words and Phrases That Ticked You Off in 2010 won't find many surprises in this year's collection. You remain annoyed (sometimes profoundly disturbed) by buzzwords, vogue words, malapropisms, redundancies, and clichés. You're vexed and perplexed by instances of bureaucratese, legalese, and journalese. And you're clearly exasperated by usage errors of all kinds--including a few that aren't errors at all.
Here are 100 verbal pet peeves submitted by readers over the past 12 months. To contribute an annoying expression to next year's list, click on the "comments" link at the end of the post.
- Absolutely!
- Across the aisle
- Agreeance (for agreement)
- Analization (for analysis)
- Anxious (instead of eager)
- Are we having fun yet? (used sarcastically)
- ASAP (especially when used in speech)
- At the end of the day
- At this moment in time
- Awesome (and other overworked hyperbolic adjectives)
- Back-story
- Been there, done that
- Benchmark
- Bottom line
- Brain fart
- Butt naked (instead of "buck naked")
- Categorically deny
- Conventional wisdom
- Cooking up a storm
- Could care less (instead of "could not care less")
- Customers (instead of patients, in the health-care industry)
- Dealio (slang for deal)
- Double down
- Down to the wire
- Embattled (journalists' jargon)
- Embedded
- Epic (as a vague, all-purpose adjective)
- Extreme
- The fact of the matter
- Free gift
- Fungible
- Gift (used as a verb)
- Girls (in reference to women)
- Give a shout out
- Give me a break
- Going forward
- Have a good one
- Having said that
- Hella (as in "It's hella crowded in here")
- Icon and Iconic (overused and almost always inappropriate)
- Inappropriate
- Infrastructure
- Ish (used to convey mild disagreement with another person's opinion)
- It is what it is
- It's not my fault
- Just saying (after stating an opinion)
- Kick the can down the road
- Know what I mean?
- Kudos
- Like (when used as a discourse marker)
- Literally
- Look (when used to preface an answer)
- Love me some (as in "I love me some tamales")
- Luminary (for "anyone who is making big bucks no matter how evil they are as humans")
- Meme
- Moist
- My bad
- Narrative (when used as political jargon)
- No problem (instead of you're welcome)
- Pacifically (for specifically)
- Pass the smell test
- Penned (when used as a synonym for wrote)
- Perfect storm (in reference to anything except an actual storm)
- Pitcher (for picture)
- Play hardball (unless you're actually on a ball field)
- Price point (for price)
- Proactive
- Reboot (in reference to anything except a computer)
- Refudiate (for repudiate)
- Ridonkulous
- Right now
- Same difference
- Sexy (when used to describe sexless things)
- Simply (when used condescendingly in instructions)
- Skill set (for skills)
- So fun!
- Staunch (as in "staunch Republican/Democrat")
- Supposively (for supposedly)
- Sustainable
- That being said
- That's what I'm talking about
- That's what she said
- These ones
- Thinking outside the box
- Throw X under the bus
- Too funny
- Townhome
- Transitioning
- Under the radar
- Untimely death
- Utilize (when use is more appropriate)
- Vanilla folder (instead of "manila folder")
- Very unique
- Welcome to my world
- Wellness Center
- What are your co-ordinates?
- Whatever (when used as an exclamation)
- Whoa (as in "I was like, whoa")
- Womb to tomb
- You know? (when used as a discourse marker)
More Annoying Words and Phrases:
Comments
A few more annoying examples of corporate-speak:
enhanced
game changer
leverage
transparency
I dislike the phrase, “went missing.”
I’m satisfied the list is inclusive as long as “awesome” is there. Others might suggest the list is incomplete without “axe” for “ask,” but that could be regional.
Where and when did “went missing” become something the media started using? I do not recall hearing that term when I was younger.
“You guys” annoys me, especially when I’m part of a group of women, all in our 40’s and 50’s. “Ladies” is good. “Gals” would be fine. “You” is never wrong. Sorry am I to say that waiters who put me into a group called “you guys” get smaller tips from me.
I’m with Jay. In my opinion “awesome” over-use is driving me insane! I am now on a lifelong mission to assign levels of “awesomeness” so that a person has to clarify how “awesome” something is and not leave me guessing (this, in turn, drives my kids crazy). Do you think levels 1-5 would suffice? I’m thinking that food items can only be first level of “awesomeness”. If this catches on, you can thank me.
‘Ticked-off’ should be on list. It really ticks me off…
The most annoying aspect of these phrases is the look of irritation when you attmept to rephrase these words correctly. They seem to become part of our culture so quickly that people don’t realize that the words are used incorrectly.
In the world of Attorneys – “Boiler Plate”. Now theres an annoying one.
“Epic” is a word that I hate. If my students use it in class, they have to write the definition of the word and read part of an actual epic.
“Take a listen.” Used by TV Anchors to introduce a video clip.
“Between you and I.” Used by the same people.
We are honing in on some truthiness here.
When did “based on” become “based off”?
I also love when my elementary school soccer players talk about “versing” another team.
“My bad”, should be at the top of the 100 Worst Phrases list.
What is numbers one through ten on the list? It is cut off by an ad for antonym dictionary. So i am not seeing numbers one through ten on the 2011 list.
1. Absolutely!
2. Across the aisle
3. Agreeance (for agreement)
4. Analization (for analysis)
5. Anxious (instead of eager)
6. Are we having fun yet? (used sarcastically)
7. ASAP (especially when used in speech)
8. At the end of the day
9. At this moment in time
10. Awesome (and other overworked hyperbolic adjectives)
I cringe at “She graduated Harvard” instead of “from Harvard.” I hear this from both uneducated people and articulate professionals, including broadcasters. I’ve always wondered if it’s a regionalism, but I’ve never been able to pin it to one part of the country. I don’t even know if it’s techncially wrong, but it drives me crazy!
My impression is that “went missing” (or its past participle, “gone missing”) is a British idiom. I’m hearing more of those spoken by Americans as the world shrinks and global media blur our boundaries. (Note that “media” is a plural noun.) We’ve been exporting Americanisms for decades, so it’s only fitting (and charming, to my ear) that we import language from our international neighbors. (And don’t you hate writers who overuse parentheses?!)
The word that has always, and will forever, make me grind my teeth in disgust (and I cringe even to type it) is boobies. I made it perfectly clear to my children that it is more offensive than most terms they’ll ever dare repeat. That should definitely make the list. And maybe “amenable” and “amicable”, as well, when used incorrectly.
Baby Daddy / Baby Momma
When used very sparingly and reserved for occasions that beg for the term, I find brain fart to be quite effective and appropriate, and the only way to be concisely descriptive of my activities as I near the age of 50.
Shoot me now! or Just shoot me now! is tiring.
No 77: Staunch – The British comedian Billy Connolly once observed: ‘ Why is it always staunch protestant and devout catholic?’
Has anyone mentioned the phrase, “I know, right?”
Rock, misused as a verb. For example, “Jennifer Lopez rocks another bodysuit.”
Also, artisanal should have been on the list. Hate that one.
when did people start arriving ‘to’ an airport?
Does anyone anymore know the difference between fungible and non-fungible in making word choices? What exactly is ‘tussling’?
Touch base
“Just as an FYI” – FYI is an abbreviation. Why extend it again, when just “FYI” suffices?
“FYI”. Awful in the first place.
“i.e.” when they mean “e.g.”
I hate it when people say “Enough said” at the end of a comment, I think it’s ignorant and rude
Lock Down when used in reference to anything but prisons. This would be one of the top overused buzzwords by local TV “news” in my part of the U.S.A., and probably across the country since it’s all homogenized.
Jan, “Gone Missing” is on the top of my list. We used to say disappeared but that word has, sadly, gone missing.
Love all the comments. Nice to know I’m not alone.
1. “Fail,” as in, “That was such an epic fail.”
2. I also hate politicians’ recent obsession with the word “look” in their responses to difficult interview questions, as in “Look, I’m not denying that we have a rough road ahead of us.” It seems rude to me, and now reporters who cover politics have latched on to it as well.
3. “Home invasion.” Why isn’t it a break-in anymore?
4. Anything that unnecessarily ends in “center,” such as “learning center,” “worship center,” or the aforementioned “wellness center.” We already have words for these things: school, church, hospital.
You are absolutely incorrect to identify “buck naked” as the
Correct term. It is exactly the opposite. “butt naked” implies that you are unclothed right down to your posterior.
lest we forget the ubiquitous “It is what it is”.
gosh I used whoa several times sorry my bad!!!
When TV anchors use “an” in front of “historic”. “an” instead of “a” should only be used if the H is silent as in “an honor”. Do you wear “an hat” or live in an house?
I hate the term.. “Do you know what I mean?”.. Like we are idiots an have a 36 IQ.. AGGHHHHH!!!
It bothers me when people say “should of” instead of “should have.”
The one that annoys me most??? ” twenty-four seven”
How about ‘went with’ or ‘go with’ instead of ‘went with her’ of ‘go with him’?
I’m constantly annoyed by people telling me they “never did nothing” on the weekends…or being told “I don’t know nothing”…
You’ve defined “whatever” as an exclamation. I use that word to blow people off. Or more precisely if I don’t like what you are saying, or you are longwinded it’s more like “I don’t care”.
The phrase that annoys me most is “no brainer”.
I use the word “till the end of time”as a phrase to post appointments,facts and issues.
When did people who should know better (like sports commentators) start saying “verse” for “versus”? Another pet peeve — using “formally” when “formerly” is the correct word — how did that happen?
‘mute’ instead of ‘moot’, ‘revitalization’ instead of ‘business downsizing’, ‘layoffs’ instead of ‘terminations’,
On the weekend. It’s at the weekend.
“kick the can down the road” and “focus like a laser beam” These two phrases used mostly by radio pundits and politicians, by now, positively set my teeth on edge. I am promising not to vote for any politician who says the first phrase.
Anything that Cahrlie Sheen says.
Anyways — there is no such word. I hear so many people use this word, even teachers who should know better. How are they supposed to teach correct English when use incorrect English.
LY at the end of numbers; firstly, secondly, etc., since when did numbers become adverbs.
Stakeholders, referring to faculty and staff at our university.
I hear news and weather casters using the word still at the end of the sentence, such as “it is raining still” Whatttt!! I hear this often even on the Weather Channel.
The other is the confusion over bring and take. I TAKE clothes to the cleaners and BRING them home.
Listen up
Watch my lips
I would say “expresso” is one I hear a lot and I always want to say “it’s eSpresso!”
Please add “no worries” and “beast” to the list.
Thank goodness “connect the dots” has been left in the last decade!
I have hated “went missing” for a long time. Why not just use the more descriptive “disappeared?”
Also, ” I says to him” instead of “I said to him.”
I am enjoying all the other comments.
I hate the word “trending!”
I can’t believe “spot on” (maybe another British import) didn’t make your list
btw, I heard a network TV anchor use “Absolutely” about 6 times in a 5 minute interview yesterday. It seemed as though it was the only word she knew how to use after her guest made a statement
I hate the phrase “give back.” First of all, it is really condescending, implying that the people you are giving to are soooo far behind (aka, beneath) you. And, secondly, how can you give something back if it was never given to you in the first place? Pay it forward is a little better, but still has it’s problems. Maybe we should say “give forward” or simply “give.”
ending a sentence with a preposition ! like where is it at ? instead of where is it ? that really grates on my nerves !
i hate when anyone ends a sentence with a preposition, example,
where are you at ? instead of where are you ?
The word that ticks me off the most, in 2011 or any year, is disinterested, used to mean uninterested. This mis-usage is more commonly heard spoken by individuals, but I see it in print from time to time.
Can’t believe that “change up” is not on the list. And I’m with Anne Marie on waitpersons who say “you guys.”
I’m with Anjannette…anything Charlie Sheen says…when I hear him say “winning” I just want to punch him…..”ok”….starting or ending a line with “ok”….and there is “sick”….”dude, that’s sick!”
I dislike the phrase “Heads-Up” as in an office setting and your giving you boss a heads-up about an issue.
Our Weatherman says IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS while pointing at his big map……Every forecast!
What a rubbish list. Put together by idiots because half of the so called bad things are used as metaphors ie (Is ie on the list? I bet inverted speech commies should be) penned by.
This list, while fairly comprehensive, does not include the erroneous phrase, “the both of them”. This phrase drives mad. Totally.
I challenged my teenaged daughter to post 10 consecutive Facebook updates without the words “awesome” or “amazing”. She did pull it off, but it wasn’t easy!
OMG….Hated It !!!!!
Segway
I agree on “went missing” where did that come from?
I hate do the math.
Use of “utilize” when “use” is probably my top peeve pertaining to writing. I’m in a doctoral program in higher education and its use is frequent in the writing of both classmates and writers of journal articles. You’d think with a teaching job and study that I’d have better things to worry about but it drives me crazy and is soooo pretentious. After months of daily irritation while completing course reading I finally looked it up. “Use is a perfectly good word. Thanks for including it on your list.
I must admit, I have been known to use over half of these in the last year. Some of them with EPIC proportions. Now that I have been schooled about what drives one nuts, crazy, batty, to drink, I shall endeavor to be more awesomely cautious as to the overuse of said words and phrases. But I fear, no one will understand me. Axe me later.
“In my minds eye” and “do you want to go with” are my 2 pet peeves.
“Amazing” — used to describe anything from an ice cream flavor to a ski trip.
“on accident” instead of “by accident”
Yes, agree wholeheartedly with others who say one of their peeves is:
“versing” instead of team x “versus” team y, or which team are you playing against?
I’ve got a classroom full of fifth graders (ab)using it!
Also, agree concerning use of “It is what it is” — what the ?!@#$ is IT?
Love this column — am sending it to (ABSOLUTELY
everyone!!
I hate when people say “walk the talk”…….I think the proper phrase should be..”walk the walk”….or “talk the talk……sounds reasonable……
The fact of the matter is that list is just so awesome! At first the list was under the radar, then I was like Whoa, my bad! Kudos to the auhor!!!
I so agree with Barb….”baby mommy” and “baby daddy” are THE most annoying examples of poor grammar to me!! Either phrase brings to mind a street-corner group of thugs who only completed third grade!!
To see the phrases in print….which is happening more and more, to my disgust!…and hear it from newspeople is even more irritating. We’ll have young people growing up with no sense of proper grammar at all, ‘know what I mean’????
Two of the most overused and misused words in the English language are “magic” and “miracle”. Both literally mean something that cannot be explained by normal means, but they are so grossly overused in ads to describe any new product or any mediocre product with a new label.
If you read the real estate ads, you willl surely notice how the word “charming” is overused.
“Temp a chur” Instead of “TempER a chur”
Brilliant. Please add “Legacy” – much overused and often wrongly used
My number one is: Fair Share.
As in “everyone must give their fair share,” especially when used in connection with raising taxes and class warfare!
In the South when asked if the store has such an item, the salesperson often responds “We surely don’t”.
“Athleticism.” It may be a good word, but sportcasters really overuse it. I cringe when I hear it now. Also, when did “went” take the place of “gone”?
One expression that drives me mad is “It’s so fun”. Do they mean it’s so much fun or it’s so funny? I guess so fun “covers
all bases”, which is fine if you are at a baseball game.
Please add to the list; “Lets’ agree, to disagree” & “legit”.
Happy New Year!
I grit my teeth when I hear “between” being used referring to three or more people. (Just between the three of us.)
Stop!
“Between” two people or objects, etc. “Among” three or more.
And I’ve been informed by my grandchildren that “ain’t” is now in the dictionary. Sorry. It will never be in mine!
Whenever an advertiser says “Best in class” or “Best in its class” What does that mean? Someone please define who else is in class. Car ads do this frequently.
I personally am tired of the phrase “are ya kiddin’ me?”.
What does it really mean when someone says, “I love him/her to death!”?
I can’t believe that someone else says ‘pitcher’ instead of picture. I just thought it was a family trait. She also says ’sec e tary’ instead of secretary.
Drives me nuts!!!!
(35) Casey – ‘An historic’ – this is correct in British English. If something is historic the ‘H’ is spoken. If somewhere is ‘an historic property’ for example, the ‘H’ is silent. No idea why.
(49) Barbc – LY at the end of numbers making them adverbs – I just checked the dictionary, this is also correct in British English.
Like Jan (18) says the world is shrinking and global media are blurring boundaries. Hope this clears up a few things.
I also dislike the use of ‘disinterested’ (meaning having no interest – what a Judge must be in a court situation) where they mean ‘uninterested’ (bored).
“myself” instead of me. e.g. you get an e.mail from your boss which says reply to myself.
Well. at the end of the day, the bottom line is that “whatever!” is the worst. Am I right!? Or what?
The ‘Y’ generation use the word “like” as if it’s a comma. They also pronounce ‘you’ as ‘chew’ as if they have all of a sudden become rappers. Dumb arses!
1. supposably, 2. fith and twelth, for fifth and twelfth, 3. ect for etc, 4. ekspecially and ekscape, 5. Where you at?, 6. At this particular point in time. 7. Say what?, 8. Does that make sense? (usually said after a long drawn out explanation) 9. Really? and HELLO!! in an annoyed manner. 10. There ya go!
I don’t hate the words as much as I hate the word usage. I live in California and I have been numb to dude, awesome, whatever, etc. for a very long time now. I do dislike “like” as a place holder. It makes it difficult for me to use the word when I mean to use like. It was pretty bad in the “Valley Girl” days. It is used significantly more today and makes it more grating to the ears. Some of the words on this list are regional dialects and not misuses of the words. In that case, I just keep in mind that I probably sound strange to people who come from a different region of the country or world and try to be patient about it. This is definitely a good list and I am guilty of using about half of them in my conversational speech. It depends on who I am having a conversation with as to when I use “slang” or the common vernacular of my area.
Here’s another one……Get Oughta Town! Used in place of…
You Can’t be Serious.
I dislike “trending”, which is used by television news anchors to describe nearly every news item they are talking about during the segment.
The term “organic”
Using me and him or her as subjects of sentence. such as Me and him went to get groceries.
Using a person’s name follwed by proper noun after a verb such as They invited Sarah and I to their party.
Nucular, mispronunciation of nuclear. Geez!
There are two misuses that I have fought against for al long time but now feel that I have to give up and admit defeat.
The first is the use of the word podium to refer to a lectern. A podium is the low platform that a conductor stands on. It seems though that through repeated usage that the meaning has changed as I hear national news anchors now using the word podium for lectern.
My second protest is the word ketchup used instead of catsup. I used to only purchase Hunts as it was the only brand that correctly labeled their product, “Catsup”. But they too have finally caved in and I can no longer purchase catsup.
In truth though, I do enjoy being peeved. It makes me feel intellectually superior.
“True that”
My contributions to this list are: #1-pre-owned- whatever happened to saying something is used and #2 disrespected me-I cringe every time I hear these words uttered by someone. It would be more informative to say you were hurt or angry or upset by something that was said or done to you than to hear he or she “disrespected me”.
everyone always does the thing with their tongue before saying something (make a noise – can’t describe it, but very annoying. Also, not saying “ING” after words that need it, like ’shopin’, goin, eatin and so on. “pitcher” for picture was said, but it is also very annoying.
I know that it probably doesn’t affect people who dont live in South Africa, but here we have some Afrikaans people who have the most irritating direct translation… Instead of saying ‘you people’ they say, ‘you’s people’ that irritates the living daylights out of me.
I agree with so many of these peeves, even though I must admit to using some of them. I drive a school bus, and ‘guys’ is so much more direct than ‘boys and girls’ or even ‘ladies and gents’ when trying to control the students. My contribution is one of pronunciation; it’s DISsect, not Dyesect. I think the misuse comes from the similarity to BIsect. Note that bisect has only one consonant – s – between the vowels i and e, making the i long as in ’strike’; dissect has two making the i sound short, as in ‘dissent’.
Across the isle fault for all the problems…
Tea Party
Republican Party
Democratic Party
CNN News fault
MPG (miles per gallon)
Electric vehicles
Why does “across the world” replace “around the world” in chat and sometimes news? Has the world gone flat?
When people pronounce the word “Especially” as “EXspecially”
Number one is using “I” instead of “me”, as in “He asked John and I to join him”. Used by broadcasters and others who should know better.
Number two is “twenty-four-seven”. If I hear it again I think I’ll scream.
I’ll get back to you “at my earliest convenience”
I can’t believe no one is offended by sucks, as in “That sucks.”\
“Finna” needs to be on there.
I can’t believe “prolly” (instead of probably) didn’t make the list.
I don’t like the use of “troops” in reference to individual soldiers.
I know never to trust anyone that says “Let me be honest with you!”
‘anyways”…
That said or that being said – yeah, we know, we heard you!
Looks to be as in “Wow, that looks to be a real bad accident.”
Our poor, butchered language.
What about brilliant? How can food be brilliant unless it shines or is super intelligent?
Our company invented a new verb this year: riffed. We had layoffs, which they called a Reduction in Force. So people who were layed off, wered “riffed.”
My pet peeves are the overused phrases “as well”, and “as well as”. What happened to: additionally, also, and, including, plus, too?
If I had $1.77 every time “as well” was added at the end of a sentence in print, or TV, I’d be rich!
overused is commentators stating that someone “called out” another individual.
such as, pres. obama was “called out” by the repubs.
another, “this is just wrong.”
109 – ‘dye’sect is correct British English.
113 – ‘I’ instead of ‘me’ (He invited Sarah and I) is also correct British English; ‘old school’ I agree, but correct.
“Based off” is the phrase that gives me a rash. A “base” is something upon which one places something else. A lamp is placed ON its base. A ball player landing “off” first base would probably be tagged “out.” A soldier who is “off” his base without permission is AWOL.
Chatter ! : Oh, how this one grates me. Our worthless US news sources dutifully repeat this word and generally, entire stories, that the U.S. government feeds them. Once, just once, I’d like to hear (or read) them saying: “The U.S. government claims 57 Izbickistan soldiers were killed yesterday in an early morning raid by unmanned zeppelins.”
Why is it always that the US government says and the rest of the world claims some bit of information?
I’m really enjoying all of the comments here. Thank you to everyone.
(126) I don’t know where you got that information; I’m from England and many years ago I was taught the rule as I stated – the double consonant bit. Understanding that English has an exception for almost every rule, this still holds true most of the time.
As for ‘He invited Sarah and I’, that’s never acceptable, because he didn’t invite ‘I’ he invited ‘me’, therefore he didn’t invite Sarah and I, but Sarah and me. Old school or not.
I am calling my kids to come here and all I hear from them and the cashiers at the stores is: Huuuaa? Is that even a word? Can’t they say yes, no, I don’t know or I am coming? Did you take the trash out? uhh uhhaa. Maybe the word no could be used.
Too many to comment on, but almost all of those phrases rub me the wrong way!
LIKE,UM,LIKE,UH,SO MANY–SO LITTLE TIME!!!!
I WONDER HOW MANY OLDER ENGLISH TEACHERS ARE ROLLING AROUND IN THEIR GRAVES OVER THE FACT THAT EVEN PRESENT
ENGLISH TEACHERS DO NOT TEACH PROPER GRAMMAR ANYMORE?!?!
SOOOOO SAD!!!
Think outside the box
Baby mama and baby daddy
conversate instead of converse or just “talk”
Ground Zero
“sustainable” has become over used
“Listen”(when used to preface a sentence)
“All Right People”or “Listen Up People” (when addressing employees at a pre-work communication meeting)
Ask pronounced “Akx”
I agree with Janet about “disinterested,” which means “unbiased,” not “uninterested.” Also, to the writers of “Criminal Minds”–I’m begging you, could you please stop using the word “unsub” so much? I once set out to count the number of times it was said in an episode and gave up at 21, even though the program was not even half over.
I absolutely hate it when a journalist uses the word “nosh” for eat. Drives me insane!
My worst in order of bad.
1.That being said.(or having said that, that said)
2. At the end of the day
3. Went missing or gone missing
4. Back in the day.
When and why did “price point” replace “price” or simply “cost.” A what exactly is the meaning (other than those above) of “proce point,?
Prolly (for probably)
Supposably (for supposedly)
Axed (for asked)
Where are you AT?