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23 October 2012

What words would you consider to be the most overused? I'm thinking about doing a project that involves synonyms, and I'm trying to come up with 5-15 or so words that are particularly overused.[More:]

For me, my worst use of a word as a crutch has to be "interesting." When I write a reaction paper to a reading at school, I find myself using it in way too many sentences, often adjacent to each other. It's just so useful to have a word that says something is worthy of consideration without adding any connotations that could mess with the point I'm trying to make.

"Bad" and "good" are also obvious, but almost too obvious, since every teacher points those out.

I'm thinking I'd like a focus on adjectives in particular, but the idea's still kind of developing.
Hrm.

Not adjectives, and maybe not what you are really going for, but when I was a scientist, writing lots of papers and having to bolster my points over and over again, I would write "moreover", "furthermore", "likewise" way way too much. (I just looked at one of my old articles, and I saw 4 "moreovers" in the discussion without looking very closely at all. Argh! I noticed it while I was writing it of course, but when you are making point after point about the same phenomenon, there's not a ton of different words you can use.
posted by gaspode 23 October | 11:42
My latest pet peeve is "actually". Also, "really?" when used as a question, particularly when used to convey dismay.
posted by Ardiril 23 October | 12:01
Along with Ardiril's "actually," I would include, "in fact." Used sparingly, it sets up an opposition between perception and reality. Used frequently, it leaves this reader wondering if every other sentence is a lie.

It's almost unnecessary to mention but deploying "very" in writing is usually either a waste or a sign of a stunted vocabulary.

The verb, "To gift." Once ever is way too many.
posted by Hugh Janus 23 October | 12:07
a/an, the, and.
posted by Eideteker 23 October | 12:46
And for a different reason, the word "or." Because "xor" does not get the play it should.
posted by Eideteker 23 October | 12:47
"Very"!!! - Oh, yes, good one.
posted by Ardiril 23 October | 13:12
I heartily abuse apparently and seem, which I faintly remember as being vaguely Japanese in nature, of a kind of politeness or social construct, not assuming you can know for sure.
posted by ethylene 23 October | 13:43
A friend of mine hated "weird" for the same reasons you mentioned disliking "interesting," though "weird" is less formal.

"Nice" is another non-word word.
posted by occhiblu 23 October | 13:54
I abuse every word mentioned so far--with the exception of "likewise" (have to add that to my arsenal)-- and quite a few more.
posted by jamjam 23 October | 14:56
opinion
blasted
friended
like
googled
"outside the box"
"kicked out"
"sort of"
"can't stand"
"drive -- crazy"
abuse
posted by bearwife 23 October | 15:15
In my world? Like. I say it, like, all the time. Ugh.

And awesome. I say awesome way too much.
posted by Specklet 23 October | 17:29
The onion's TED talk. || BELATED CAPS LOCK SHOUTYNESS

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