When Kurt Andersen took over as editor of New York Magazine, he wrote a list of all the words he found annoying and told his staff not to use them during his tenure. They made me laugh out loud.Do you agree with this list? What other words do you find annoying? (I hate triangulate and moist:)
(Via Swissmiss, via The New York Times)
HA! I hate when people say irregardless!!!
ReplyDeleteI think his list tops it off.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, nowadays there are plenty more words to add.
haha this is funny. i hate the word "bestie". ick.
ReplyDeletemy supervisor at school has a list. among them "articulate". unless you are talking about a bus.
ReplyDeleteA very controlling list...but also funny. I think in general it can be difficult with restrictions. Luckily I did not find any that I overuse here...but I do have quite a few! My most overused word is probably: Fabulous...
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
genius.
ReplyDeleteobviously.
brilliant.
preggers. pregs. knocked up.
CANOODLE, how I wish they'd all stop using canoodle.
ReplyDeleteLove: truculent. Hate: the word "quote" as a noun (that is a verb, people, the noun would be "quotation"!).
ReplyDeleteOh grammatical pet peeves!
Becca
Such an awesome list. I love reading "City" magazines like NY Mag and Seattle Met, but they have a very particular and totally annoying vernacular that really tests my patience sometimes. This guy is smart to tone it down.
ReplyDeletehaha, pregs makes me queasy! these are hilarious :)
ReplyDeletehahah i laughed out loud too! i love this! x
ReplyDeleteclementimes, i agree! oh! it secretly annoys me when people say San Fran. :)
ReplyDeletepreternaturally.
ReplyDeleteI hate the word foibles. It might be my least favorite word in the English language.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite? Illuminate. It just rolls off the tongue and it makes me think of so many lovely, bright things.
I hate preggers & preggo.
ReplyDeleteI don't like hubby either - to dumpy sounding.
And I have never liked the word 'panties' or 'breasts' - I shudder to type them.
He sounds like a guy who is easily irked (is that a word?) and tough to please!
ReplyDeletelove the word darling.
ReplyDeletedo not care for the word barf.
This is a good list! I also can't tolerate "hubby." I've also heard people say "hubs." Oh man. Ick.
ReplyDeletemy dad hates the word 'humungous.' he literally would ask my sister and i not to use it as if it were a racial slur. it is kind of displeasing/nauseating.
ReplyDeletehaha what's wrong with "Well"?? he's so picky
ReplyDeletehttp://girlynote.blogspot.com
The phrase "all set" drives me crazy! "Are you all set?" What does that even mean?
ReplyDeletefrock
ReplyDeletemoist
hubby
haha, these are cracking me up. i also hate the phrase "spread eagle." it grosses me out.
ReplyDeleteirregardless is not a word. moist.
ReplyDeleteI know! San Fran... Why do people say that? It's seems like only locals would do, but no one in San Fransisco talks like that... :)
ReplyDeleteThere are certainly a few words on the list I wouldn't use, and don't particularly like ("flicks" and "celeb" for instance), but most of these words are absolutely fine, if sometimes overused article words! To each her own, I suppose. Fittingly, I hate the term "pet peeve."
ReplyDeleteI hate the misuse of the word random. Why is everything suddenly so random? Very few things that are described as being random are actually random.
ReplyDeleteI hate when people say phenomenal...I think that's just come from people overusing it. Everything can't be phenomenal! And I'm kind of tired of the overuse of the word urban.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite word is haberdasher. :)
I'm a Art Director and at our office we have a white board broken into two categories
ReplyDeleteWords We Hate: synergy, webinar, bandwidth (ie. "How much bandwidth do you?" Can you take on another project...)
Words We Like: Coffee, vacation...
I'll have to agree with hubby, preggers/prego, and bestie. I also have a hard time when couples call each other "honey". I'm from the south, so if it isn't said with a southern accent and while someone is handing me fried chicken and a biscuit through the car window, it just seems weird. And overly formal.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I love that my husband (who is not from the south) calls me "darlin". ;)
haha I don't hate many words, unless it's something gross like scab, puss etc hahaha ew
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pinkpeonieswithlove.blogspot.com
the worst is guesstimate. ick.
ReplyDeleteI must add one more. Fellowship. Ew.
ReplyDeleteHaha! This list is great. I used to laugh when people said they hated certain words ("moist" seems to top most people's list) but I finally have one: "gifted" --I really hate "gifted".
ReplyDeletei can't stand the word "scrounge." it just looks and sounds ugly.
ReplyDeletei hate 'moist' too!!! makes me cringe.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with him! They are so overused as writer's crutches to make the article sound "hip" that they have become eye-roll worthy. Funny to see his list!
ReplyDeleteMy absolute most hated word is "moot." My dad used it relentlessly whenever we would argue when I was a teenager, as in, "that's a MOOT point," to any argument I made in my favor. Eventually I think he realized that I really just hated that word so then he'd use it even if I was right just to watch me blow up. The word is banned from my husband and I's vocabulary, which he has been more than happy to comply with except when he wants to tease me. :)
ReplyDeleteI had an editor at my first job that wouldn't let us use 'hoi polloi' or 'truly'. Her random emails of banned words still make me laugh.
ReplyDeleteNew York Magazine is not alone - as a sub-editor (copy editor in American), every magazine I've worked on has a 'banned words' list...
ReplyDeleteMusings. Which if you read 'mom' blogs you come across way too much.
ReplyDeletei hate the word "fart." we do not say it in my house as my mother never allowed it. and YES! people read quotations, or they quote people. get it right! i hate when people say "standing O" for standing ovation. it sounds dirty. panties is also gross. some of my faves are lattice, shrubery and satchel. i just like saying them.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely agree on moist. Also dangle and folks. I involuntarily cringe any time someone says folks!
ReplyDeletei am thinking that i now need to make a list. a few of mine are...
ReplyDeleteending of any exclamatory sentence with babbbyyy or yo (for example: new york city baby!)
hubs
intentional (ie. doing anything 'intentionally')
i could go on and on...
i can't stand "hubby"! your husband has a name!!
ReplyDeleteHaha, that's cool :-D Seeing how I blog in my non-native language, it sometimes is hard for me to figure out which words go with the common "Zeitgeist" (you're welcome) and which do not. Zeitgeist is a German word, btw, and is not out of fashion in its home country, although I can understand why it is in the US :-) So I did use one or the other of the words on the list, mostly because I'd read them somewhere and they popped up in my head while writing. I bet my writing style seems odd to people at times. My boyfriend asked me why I don't ask my readers about that, but I don't know. It seems kinda strange to me ^^
ReplyDeleteRelatable Style
Tell Kurt to stay away from my blog. I'd give him a heart attack. LOL
ReplyDeleteThe only word I stay away from is the word 'Hate'.
Di
i am thoroughly annoyed by "random" as in "that was so random!"
ReplyDeletethis is so funny!
I hate the word really. I told my kids to stop using it, it te context of being degrading. It's so condescending. I pretty much snap now if someone says it to me.
ReplyDeleteYou can't spell dumb without um. So yeah, I agree completely with that one. But who would be writing for New York Magazine and using , um, or , uh, ?
ReplyDeleteThis is AWESOME. I'm afraid if I made a list like this it would be many pages long. But let me just add my number one pet peeve: when people say "nukular". It kills me. Say it with me news anchors- N U C L E A R. Oy.
ReplyDeleteFun! The (over)use of "curate(d)", "gamine", and "eponymous" on blogs and in fashion magazines makes me a bit bananacakes.
ReplyDeleteha i agree with most of those. especially "hubby". annoying.
ReplyDeleteI hate hubby, regardless and howdy.
ReplyDeleteafter art school, i cant stand to hear people say 'juxtapose' or 'inspirational' anymore!
ReplyDeletei do love hearing 'mellifluous' and 'lugubrious' and 'effervescent' though!
ugh, howdy! or when people say, "hey, guy," to strangers in stores and things.
ReplyDeleteI detest the phrase "bear with me now".
ReplyDeleteWhat an ass! Ha, I would purposely used these words to annoy him? Who does he think he his? Words, all of them, are meant to be used.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, it's ridiculous when ppl say "Cali." Note that ppl from CA do not ever actually say, "Cali." Ask your husband, does he say that wretched word?
"That's Hot" I cringe when I hear it.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the Jimmy Fallon "thank you card" to the word "moist"? He basically tells it it's the worst word we have and we don't want it anymore. I agree.
ReplyDeleteI really could go on and on about words that irk me. . . awesomeness, randomness, meh (referring to "me"), guesstimate, chillax, and particular uses of "Yeah" are just a few. :)
ReplyDeleteI think it might be British sayings but I want to throw things when people say 'under the cosh' or 'wow factor'. Like nails on a chalkboard to me! Marvellous and splendid are my favourites!
ReplyDeleteI think there's a universal hatred for "moist"
ReplyDeleteIt looks like he removed every word a hipster might use! I would definitely agree with most on his list and then add "preggers" and "hubbers"
I don't really understand the banning of "lifestyle" and is there really a good alternative to "eponymous"? I'd add "flaccid" to the list!
ReplyDeleteSorry Kurt but I don't mind indie or zeitgeist - but I do think icon is overused and savvy is a bit irritating!
ReplyDeleteAlso overused:
ReplyDeleteuber
meta
...wait for it --
paradigm shift
gamechanging
wheelhouse (to mean skill set)
natch (terrible bloggerspeak)
precisely! shivers. that word needs to be banned. oh and beiber fever.
ReplyDeleteI hate when people say "San Fran" too. I also hate the word "tats"..."Dude, where'd you get your tats? I just got outta prison..."
ReplyDeleteoh M Gee ranks on the top of my list ;)
ReplyDeleteThats is funny! I guess some of those words are rather annoying!
ReplyDeleteMature, when pronounced "Matore" drives me insane, even if that may be the correct way to say it...
ReplyDeleteRad! It must stop!
ReplyDeleteCan I share buzzwords in SF now... artisan, purveyor, organic, local -- I used to love how it meant something was "special" now it's all over the place and starting to sound blah. I wonder what word replacements are out there?
ReplyDeletethere are a few local phrases and words that make me sick (i am not from the city i live in): using 'honestly' as a qualifier, for anything; 'random'--i agree with Christen above. all of the sudden everything is 'random'. i also can't stand the people around here who say 'granted' before everything. a lot of times they don't know what they are talking about and i've caught people saying--and even WRITING-- 'granite'. embarrassing. also, can you even believe that people use the term 'eternal companion' for their spouse?
ReplyDeleteThese comments are hilarious. I definitely have more words that gross me out than annoy me. Like moist and balmy. Mostly, I really hope the "-onista" fad is dead.. and buried, really deep.
ReplyDeleteHahaha. Sport as a verb. Agreed. Also hate "moist." Do all women hate that word? Also don't like "muah" (a kiss). Don't know if that's a word, but it really ticks me off when people either say it or write it.
ReplyDeletealexa
This is hilarious! I see so many similar uses in my line of work - Public Relations. Also, I despise the word "slated" as in "the story is slated to be published..."
ReplyDeleteUGH moist is my least favorite word ever. EVER.
ReplyDeleteActually, I have to agree with most of the words on the list. I'd also like to add "gifted," as in "I was gifted this vase." Is it even an actual word? What's wrong with the verb "to give" in all its forms? It's a good verb. Use it!
ReplyDeleteAlso hate "totes" instead of "totally" and all the people who throw around "hipster" far too often. Also hate the slang "nom," as in delicious.
Hmmm, strange list! I agree with most of the comments; I hate the word "moist". And "wildly", which is a word that is grossly overused in one of my favorite mags which shall remain nameless...
ReplyDeleteLove it! Can I add a couple that I've seen on cutesy blogs lately? Presh, as is precious, Gorg, as in Gorgeous, Adorbs, as in Adorable, Siggy, as in signature! I'm horrified that people would say, much less type those! :)
ReplyDeleteI tend to dislike words based on its typographic characteristics. Letters with ascenders and descenders (i.e., p, q, b, d) can make an entire word seem unbalanced. The words 'here' and 'blog' are on my list of words I do my best to steer clear from.
ReplyDeletePatricia Ann
www.theshapesofthings.com
along w/ hubby & hubs, I also do not like "girlies"...
ReplyDeletelove it!
ReplyDeletei have when girls say "i have to piss"...
piss is so masculine i don't understand why girls think they need to do this!
other than that i'm having a blank ;) xo, shari
oops, i meant to say i "hate!"
ReplyDeleteloathe many of these words...randomly, I hate the word 'hubby' & 'hubs' - blech.
ReplyDeleteI'm with everyone that can't handle 'hubby', 'preggo' or 'kiddo'.
ReplyDeleteI can't stand it when people over-use 'just saying' or 'epic'... Annoying!
booyah! i don't know if that's supposed to be a word, but i cannot stand it when i hear it!
ReplyDeleteand criminal, like "that baby is so cute it's criminal".
i'm shuddering as i type this.
We have a casual list at my work-"in reality", "top-notch", "ironic" used incorrectly..I'm blanking on the rest. I love everyone's comments though. Personally I hate the "random" fad. Everything cannot be that random people. And "totes", as in totally, "boss" as in one guy says to another, "what up boss". Ah can't stand it. I remember when I was little my Dad hated that we said "awesome". He would tell us that awesome should be reserved for things that actually inspire awe. Poor Dad.
ReplyDeleteIt's a little extreme banning "comfort food." Sometimes that's the best way to describe pot pie.
ReplyDeleteI get annoyed with "unique."
Caro
http://nofindersfee.wordpress.com
I have a hard time with mani/pedi....seriously, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up from typing that, phew!
ReplyDeleteCheers! <----now that word I LOVE!
I hate the word random. Particularly when prefaced by the world totally. Yuck.
ReplyDelete"as per"
ReplyDeleteredundant!
i love the word timeless.
Victoria
Intense.
ReplyDeleteI agree with "hubby." Way too country quaint for me.
ReplyDelete"Facetious" really grates on my nerves. I find it so overused. I have to say, though, I LOVE the word "boast". That saddens me a little.
ReplyDeleteOne more: this applies mostly to "mommy blogs" but my skin crawls when people say their ovaries ache or uterus explodes at the sight of a cute picture, OR WORSE, when people say "nom nom nom". EW.
ReplyDeletehaha! i hate the word "moist" too!
ReplyDeletewell, um, uh...i love this list. for some reason, 'jammed' (as in filled to capacity) is not a fave.
ReplyDeleteI really don't like the misuse of the word curate everywhere lately. As in, a "well-curated boutique" or she/he "curated" a list of something on a blog. I can't wait for that to fall out of style.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I definitely use some of the words that annoy other "folks", so I guess that's what makes this "random" world go round!
I feel like it should go without saying that you shouldn't use um and uh in the new york magazine...
ReplyDeleteI don't like the word "ambiance". Any good synonyms?
ReplyDeletecoagulate and lubricant.
ReplyDeletemy skin crawls every time I hear them, and when I have to SAY them, my stomach churns.
"Like" when used repeatedly in a sentence for no apparent reason tops my list. And "supposedly" when it is pronounced "supposably".
ReplyDeleteWhen people say LITERALLY inappropriately.
ReplyDeleteE.g. I was LITERALLY DYING.
No you weren't. Shhh.
I don't even want to type it... but puss. It gives me the heebie jeebies!
ReplyDeleteOh, and husby. It's not a word, ladies!
Yes, totally agreed on nom nom nom with reference to eating. I also can't stande BRAINSTORM - makes my head hurt! I love this post - thanks Jo
ReplyDeleteHAHA! I agree with a lot of these! But I'm happy he's not my boss, this will be challenging to adhere to!
ReplyDeletewww.nydontleaveme.com
I find the word "littles" (meaning regular people) super annoying.
ReplyDeleteJuxtaposition!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see someone else on here said my most hated word: panties. I cannot even say it, I cringe typing it. You're telling me women wear little pants? Ick! And, btw, is everyone meaning to say they don't like the word pus (as in the fluid) or puss (as in "in boots")?
ReplyDeleteMoist is one of my most hated words. Also succulent makes my skin crawl.
ReplyDeleteI agree with most of these too! "Hubby" is one of my top 5 most annoying words and I'll have to agree with The Yellow Door Paperie and her office - two of my favorite words are also "coffee" and "vacation". ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat list! Being from Southern California I pretty much hate the word 'Hella' ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's so funny what bothers people! had a good laugh reading these comments! I really hate when people say non-words like "fantabulous" and "ridonkulous" it just sounds stupid! great post!
ReplyDeleteany variation on the word "stink" is completely annoying to me. like when you are talking about something lame and someone says 'that stinks'.
ReplyDeletethat is the worst.
I cringe at "utilize" and the phrase "very cool," which, in my mind, is really not.
ReplyDeleteI extremely dislike nearly any three syllable word ending in 'ate'
ReplyDeleteas in...
gyrate, pulsate, ejaculate, permeate, penetrate, masticate, salivate... should I go on?
I have to second the literally business. I have a pretty high tolerance for annoying words, and will confess to a tendency to use "Just saying" way, way, waaaaay more than anyone should, but literally? Do you people know what literally means?
ReplyDeleteYou're literally starving?
Your eyes literallypopped out of your head?
You literallypeed your pants?
:)
The Oatmeal has a super funny post on this at http://theoatmeal.com/comics/literally
love.
I hate the word Pulsating, and Pubic. They are both totally disgusting. As well as my boyfriend tends to say words like, "squalor" instead of poor or dirty. I don't know why, but it makes me want to punch him.
ReplyDeletepretty hilarious! thanks for sharing:)
ReplyDeletehttp://mstwirlyskirts.com
I actually agree with a lot of his words! Some are too funny though :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I also hate, hate moist. I avoid it at all costs. I'm also not a fan of 'accentuate'.
in high school, my best friend and i had a list like this. topping it was "SLACKS!" slacks is bad.
ReplyDeletepanties is awful, too. so awful. can't say it.
i also dislike "moist" and "jazz" (though i do like jazz music...?) and oh lord, "razzmatazz" makes my skin crawl.
One term of any English class (in which students are encouraged to speak) is enough to make me never want to hear the word "juxtapose" ever again! I did need to use it recently for a formal analysis I was writing, but I had to think about it long and hard before I was willing to let it happen.
ReplyDelete"Eyeball" totally grosses me out.
ReplyDeleteAlso hate "fabulous" and "special" because they are so overused. I can handle sarcasm, but these both just come across as condescending and fake!
i also hate "amaze balls." everyone needs to stop it with that.
ReplyDeleteI love this! And I'm totally with you on the "moist" front. It is only acceptable when speaking of baked goods, and even then... Oh, and Lindley's word too - "bestie" is the most ridiculous word and makes me cringe.
ReplyDeleteHaha. How funny.
ReplyDeleteI thought I would be the only one with this annoyance, but I hate the term "hubby". Granted I don't have one so maybe it comes with the territory but it drives me nuts.
Have a great afternoon!
that's my good friends dad. he is equally funny in person!
ReplyDeletexo
Lusting.
ReplyDeleteLike, "I'm lusting after those shoes" ick!
soccermom!!!
ReplyDeletehaha! i totally agree with these ladies. bestie sounds ridiculous, well maybe if it's lightly used in the head is acceptable, haha oh oh and why people are still using boo for the partners? :)
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the whole panties debate. I now chuckle when I hear that word.
ReplyDeleteOh, I just can't stand moist. I cringe just typing it.
ReplyDeleteguestimated!
ReplyDeleteI'm a grant writer for a non-profit, so I spend much of my life trying to simplify other people's writing. My least favorites are utilize (what's wrong with use?!) and capacitate (sounds too much like decapitate). I also think that people overuse 'however' and 'therefore'. Those words are okay as an occasional pause, but they are largely unnecessary.
ReplyDeleteMy most hated phrase that appears on a lot of blogs is 'le sigh'. Why do people think it is cute to sigh with a fake French accent?
Finally, while I also dislike the words moist and panties, my least favorite word to hear is 'ma'am'. I know that it is considered polite in a lot of places, but just makes me feel old.
oh! ... love the post and all the comments! :)
ReplyDeletethe word I hate is Glamourous (Especially when spelt with all the Os and Us!)
xx
That is so funny. I wonder if he had a please use these words list? :)
ReplyDeleteI cant stand moist either or the caress!!
ReplyDeleteAWESOME. It sounds like a donkey bray.....
ReplyDeletePeople where I live use it all the time....
Sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me..
Upcycle, remix (referring to wearing clothing items in different combinations), hubby (reminds me of schlubby, which my husband is NOT). I'm also annoyed by "styled". When did that become a thing?
ReplyDeleteAgree with le sigh, le tired, etc. WTF is up with that? Le annoying.
I despise 'stoked'. No one sounds natural saying this - no one.
ReplyDeleteHa, this is hilarious! i hate bestie, bro, Do Lo (short for Dolores Park), dawg ... oh, lots of words ... oh, and I hate LOL, a lot.
ReplyDeleteI hate the word "Epic". Horrible.
ReplyDeleteI hate Moveover and Dungarees! My co-worker hates Robust. haha this was fun!
ReplyDeleteI agree!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to discover that I'm not alone in my hatred of the word "hubby"!
ReplyDeleteAlso, "lover" is terrible. YUCK.
haha i love these...i too hate the word epic unless it is truly worthy of the word. hmmmm...i don't like when people say "at this point in time." cause it makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteI cannot stand the word mustard. I know it's weird. I mean it's fine if someone says something about putting it on their food, but if someone uses it like a color it drives me crazy. Example: "I like that mustard color sweater you were wearing yesterday."
ReplyDeleteUgh I just cannot stand that word.
Moist also makes me uncomfortable.
i can agree with "hubby". sounds gross, like some huge couch potato husband. no thanks! i think i just dislike it when people say words wrong - example: "lifes" (for lives), and "supposively" (for supposedly). drives me CRAZY! but i am a lit/grammar nerd. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I really hate it when people use the phrases "Just sayin'" or "I'm not gonna lie." Obviously, you would never use those in a magazine article, but I cannot stand to hear people say them. :-/
ReplyDeletecrotch, yeppers + coolats... also smitten has been so overdone that i can't stand to hear that word anymore.
ReplyDeleteha! "whilst" + "uber". my husband cannot stand when i abbreviate words - "guac" for guacamole drives him nuts!
ReplyDeleteThis is so funny. I'd have to add "proverbial" to the list.
ReplyDeleteOh, and in the "blogosphere," (which is another one I hate), I'm so tired of seeing "ramblings and "musings" in the title.
ReplyDeleteI hate the word aplomb. It is especially overused in fashion journalism, and it drives me crazy!
ReplyDeleteFrisco, for San Francisco. Not sure who taught people to call my beautiful city by the bay this but it bugs the heck out of me.
ReplyDelete"EPIC" and "CLASSIC"
ReplyDeleteworst ever.
Anywho!
ReplyDeleteI can't stand it when people say "me thinks..." I also don't like preggers or moist. I DO love the word pergola.
ReplyDeleteMeal. Ew, that word is gross.
ReplyDeleteMoist (even worse-- moistest) also make me cringe.
I just hate most abbreviations, it makes people sound immature and uneducated. It really does not take that much longer to write husband rather than hubby...and it's really not cute. Also, "nom nom nom" - I don't get it, people don't make any sound remotely resembling that while eating.
ReplyDeleteI detest the word "pop" used instead of soda. I love the word whimsical. In the past I've loved the word vintage but I'm starting to think it is overused.
ReplyDeleteI just wrote an entire travel article about a mountainous region without using the word "majestic" - it was hard! Funky is the worst word imaginable.
ReplyDeletelove the pop/soda comment! when i was in college i took an overseas trip in which there were only 3 of us from the west coast and the rest were from the east. in order to fit in i switched from saying "pop" to "soda" and i've never turned back ;)
ReplyDeletesometimes peer pressure is a good thing. i like saying soda so much better.
I think "penultimate" is a stupid word. And I agree that "moist" is gross, but I think "smear" is even worse!
ReplyDeleteYes, musings, ramblings and stream of conciousness are all overused on blogs.
ReplyDeleteI LIKE words!! And there's so many unknown subjects that can come up, and so many flavorful ways you can use them! I don't think you should ever limit them...except if they're just being used as filler and haven't been thought threw. Go words! Go words!! ^_^
ReplyDeletemoist = worst. word. ever.
ReplyDeletei also despise when people pronounce "length" or "strength" as if there is no 'g' and it comes out like "strenth" etc. ugh.
i hate "per our conversation" or "aggregate" but that's due to an overdose of corporate meetings.
ReplyDeletehelen :)
http://yea-you.blogspot.com
Favorite word: Pillow
ReplyDeleteLeast favorite word: Recapitulate (Really. No one needs to use that big of a word to express that they're restating something.)
you know, i have a lot of favorite words but never considered words i don't like.
ReplyDeletewhy must words about bodily functions sound so...nasty. burp is not nice, but belch as a replacement isn't any nicer. and let's not go *there*...
These may also be British work-words (or maybe just my work)
ReplyDeleteface time = meeting someone in person, "I'll get some face time with them"
Diary as a verb "let's diary that"
carpark as a verb to mean let's come back to that "let's carpark that idea".
Also British phrases I hate (as Meghan said) under the cosh, also kibosh and awry.
I also hate when people don't understand acronyms and mis use them, like Broadband MAC code. The C in MAC already stands for code. Grrrr
i perused (love that word) the list and i don't see "chandi" as in chandelier. i detest that word! it's not even a word. another good word-zamboni. it's just fun!
ReplyDeletemy word verification is "mosit." unscramble and you have the most posted word here. creepy!
Oh crap. I've used two of these words, in particular. I'm afraid to write anything now... kind of freaking me out. BUT, if I may add to the list-> preggers/preggo/pregs (they all just remind me of marinara sauce), inked and tats.
ReplyDeleteNow to crack out the thesaurus and find a replacement for the words, "well" and ,"don" (though, in my defense, I've only used that one a few times, so far, in the span of my lifetime.)
I suppose these are very good examples of trying to be too clever!
Haha, it looks like I'm not the only one who HATES the word "moist"! It makes me shudder.
ReplyDeleteMine is a phrase: "Pops of color."
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was over that the tenth time Domino mag used it. Which was forever ago.
I hate when people use food descriptors for non-food items (i.e. "his legs are yummy").
ReplyDeleteI also hate those words he included like "penned" and "queried" that are just pompous forms of simple words like "wrote" and "asked." Vigorous writing is concise!
This list made me laugh and reminded me of a journalism prof I had who had a similar list.
I don't mind moist... I tend to think of something delicious like moist cake.
ReplyDeleteI cannot stand the term "go to"!! As in, "Lemon Drops are my go to cocktail!" Ugh!!!!
Also cringe to hear gelatinous or phlebotomist. Cute is also a terribly tired and overused word.
I don't know if I have a hate-word, but I love the word "naïve" (mostly because of the two dots above the "i") :D
ReplyDeleteSoooo,
ReplyDeleteWell,
I guess I shouldn't tell this man about the time I donned my fin de siecle, comely chapeau and graced one of New York's Finest Eateries with my presence, along with my hubby? As a duo we ate comfort food and dubbed the restaurant an indie bistro: I intoned (lifestyle maven that I am) that it couldn't have been a better meal if it had hailed from Zagat's overly starred best-of book!!
We even saw a few bigs eating there - a veritable who's who of celeb faces!!
Uh,
um,
SIncerely Penned,
Allison (Sunny)
;)
xpxpxpx
Oh! I HATE when a stylist/fashion person says "you can pair it with a CUTE cardigan" FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Stop using cute!!! "a cute sandal" "a cute pant" I.G.O.C.R.A.Z.Y.!
ReplyDeleteWow, I think "um" and "uh" would be a heard one to avoid and I love the word Hubby!
ReplyDeleteHaha, these are addictive to read. Having scrolled through, I definitely agree with 'hubby' and 'preggers' as being awful words.
ReplyDeleteBut the term that irks me the most (I love the word 'irk') is 'pet peeve'. I'm not sure why, but it's always bothered me.
While interning at the Oxford American Magazine, we were not allowed to use the word "eclectic." This reminds me of those days! Good times. xo.
ReplyDeleteThis is so funny to read! I really don't have any words that I hate... I do have phrases though. Around here a lot people say "get off the car" instead of "get out of the car." You're not "on" the car you're "in" the car, therefore, you need to get "out"
ReplyDeleteOh hey, I just remembered a word I hate. As an artist, I hate it when people use the word "draw-er" instead of "artist." Like, "Wow, you're such a good drawer!" It just sounds so juvenile, I don't even think it's a real word!
i feel bad because so many do it, but I can't stand when people sign emails with "cheers" especially if they're not from the UK. it feels cheesy.
ReplyDeletePanties!
ReplyDeleteI hate the word Humongous, can't stand it..
ReplyDeletelol this list is pretty hilarious although i am guilty of using quite a few them in my writings :/ ...
ReplyDeletei can't think of any words that really annoy me but i do hate the frequent misuse of the word "literally". like when people say, "i literally had a heart attack!" it doesn't make any sense!
@Sarathira - I have a theory on the word "Boo." I think maybe its a derivative of the word "beau" which means boyfriend but is also another word for admirer, beloved, love, lover... yeah I know, I'm a little brainy :/
ReplyDeletei loathe the word m-o-i-s-t and i'm not fond of "fart" either so when my kids want to make my head explode, they do a hate-word mash-up and we all have a laugh (and a cringe) :)
ReplyDeleteThe word "folks" bothers me. I always feel like I need to pronounce the "L." I also do not like it when a person refers to a large group of people as "guys." Whatever happened to "ladies and gentlemen"? That may be a little to formal, but I hate feeling like I'm an unruly middle-schooler. Another word that drives me crazy is the word "like." It is used far too often.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite word: Onomatopoeia. I don't get to use it often, but it rolls off the tongue wonderfully. The four vowels at the ends also make it special.
Zeitgeist!! NOOOOOO! That's one of the funest words to say! I first learned it when I was going to college for music. It means "rythem ghost" in German.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem to be used in all sorts of odd ways lately. But its still darn fun to say!
my friend and i recently discussed how when people say "redonkulous" it makes us want to scream.
ReplyDeletebut hopefully the times writers don't need a reminder on that one ;)
Oh, I so agree about the word gelatinous! ICK! Also dislike the use of the word "Cheers", especially by my brother who signs his Christmas letter (those are two cringe worthy words themselves) and many e-mails with it. He doesn't drink AND he's not British, so I don't think he's authorized to use it! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm annoyed by "FUNCTIONALITY"--but give me "comfort food" any day of the week!! Funny post!
ReplyDeleteciaonewportbeach.blogspot.com
I hate the word panties. Not in the sense of "Don't get your panties in a bunch!" but rather, "I just bought two new pairs of panties." Ugh. I just shivered a bit.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in grad school, I got really annoyed by this kid who used "dichotomy" all the time. Learn a new word, guy!
"Hipster," obviously. But there is no other word for it, and sorry people, it IS a type. (PS--It's so weird to see this list on my wife's blog, all these years later. I was on staff at New York Magazine under Kurt, and that very memo hung over my desk for two years. It's burned into my memory).
ReplyDeleteHate the word boobs. It sounds so disrespectful.
ReplyDeleteI'm also bugged by made-up words like ginormous.
"Moist" doesn't bother me at all. Like Jodi, it reminds me of chocolate cake or gooey brownies.