Which Words Are The Most Overworked In The English Language?

[Less]

There are a few of them out there, words that we the ignorant populous have never heard of until they are pushed into the foreground and end up being used at every opportunity by people that feel a need to be 'groundbreaking' (Hmm? Is that one of them) and on the 'cutting edge' (another?) of intellectual language.

My main example is innovative, it is now used almost everywhere to mean 'Groundbreaking' which itself seems to have been brought into popularity a few years ago to replace such words as creative, experimental and imaginative.

In themselves nothing wrong with these words but when overused they can become mildly irritating when dropped into a conversation or narration.

There are other over used words which ones can you think of?

[dotti34]

A while back if a newsreader over here was talking about a number of the same things or happenings they would say words like 'many', 'numerous', and so on, then one said 'multiple' - and from then on they all use this word instead. As you say, Less, nothing wrong with the word in itself but in my opinion it is definitely over-used and in fact I've heard it used multiple times.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Two very over used words are ‘like’....’so’ and ‘basically’.
When did it become the ‘thing’ to start a sentence answering a question, with ‘So....’
Young people seem to use the word ‘like’.....not as a camparative or to show a fondness for, but as a filler word.

I am sure there are more, but these are my pet hates.

[Less]

I know what you mean like.
Perhaps though a salesperson could be forgiven for a sentence describing a machines operation, similar to this:-

'Like so, basically'.

[Margaret Pilkington]

That might just make me walk out without buying....it would grind my gears.

Oh yes, before anyone tells me that I said TWO words, but mentioned three....’basically’ was an afterthought.

[DaveinGermany]

Not so much a word, but the phrase "let me be clear", just how many lying toerags in particular politicoes let this roll off their tongue far to glibly & with no actual substance to their "clear statement" Aaarrrgghhh!

[Less]

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany

Not so much a word, but the phrase "let me be clear", just how many lying toerags in particular politicoes let this roll off their tongue far to glibly & with no actual substance to their "clear statement" Aaarrrgghhh!

It's partner that they use is:-

'To be perfectly honest'

What other kind of honesty is there?

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by Less

What other kind of honesty is there?

Theirs & ours.

[ferret man]

Originally Posted by less

there are a few of them out there, words that we the ignorant populous have never heard of until they are pushed into the foreground and end up being used at every opportunity by people that feel a need to be 'groundbreaking' (hmm? Is that one of them) and on the 'cutting edge' (another?) of intellectual language.

My main example is innovative, it is now used almost everywhere to mean 'groundbreaking' which itself seems to have been brought into popularity a few years ago to replace such words as creative, experimental and imaginative.

In themselves nothing wrong with these words but when overused they can become mildly irritating when dropped into a conversation or narration.

There are other over used words which ones can you think of?

absolutley

[ferret man]

Originally Posted by dotti34

a while back if a newsreader over here was talking about a number of the same things or happenings they would say words like 'many', 'numerous', and so on, then one said 'multiple' - and from then on they all use this word instead. As you say, less, nothing wrong with the word in itself but in my opinion it is definitely over-used and in fact i've heard it used multiple times.

absolutley

[ferret man]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Two very over used words are ‘like’....’so’ and ‘basically’.
When did it become the ‘thing’ to start a sentence answering a question, with ‘So....’
Young people seem to use the word ‘like’.....not as a camparative or to show a fondness for, but as a filler word.

I am sure there are more, but these are my pet hates.

absolutley

[ferret man]

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany

Not so much a word, but the phrase "let me be clear", just how many lying toerags in particular politicoes let this roll off their tongue far to glibly & with no actual substance to their "clear statement" Aaarrrgghhh!

absolutley

[ferret man]

Woops ABSOLUTELY

[dotti34]

When asked for their opinion, or in answer to a question, it is surprising (and annoying) the number of people in interviews who start off their answer with 'look'. Sometimes they continue to do this when answering the questions that follow.. These are people who should know better.

[Mark2009]

"Iconic" is a really overused word.
Another word that gets on my wick is the word "well" as in well iconic