Words, usages, and phrases that annoy the shit out of you...

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what?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 22:36 (twenty-one years ago)

That seems like it'd be right up your alley, TEH ONE AN ONLEY DEANN GULBAREY

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 22:36 (twenty-one years ago)

My friends got into saying "P-word" as a jokingly PC way of saying "pussy" .. i.e. - "so-and-so is a p-word." I tried to explain that it's a real pussy move to be afraid of saying pussy and hypocritical of anyone then to call anyone else a p-word. I think it fell on deaf ears.

― TEH ONE AN ONLEY DEANN GULBAREY (deangulberry), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 22:37 (twenty-one years ago)

my p hurts!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 22:37 (twenty-one years ago)

If my dad wants to agree with something you've said, he says "This is true." It really, really gets me annoyed, for no other reason than overuse as far as I can think.

― caitlin (caitlin), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 23:21 (twenty-one years ago)

"Have a Cool Yule!" - I haven't actually heard this lately but because of the season I remembered this the other day and darkly mulled over its wankiness.

― Chriddof (Chriddof), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 23:26 (twenty-one years ago)

using "Cool Yule" seems like it should automatically warrant a knife in the face.

― El Santo Claus (Kingfish), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 23:36 (twenty-one years ago)

My father met Cheech Marin while drunk and got his autograph. My father is not the autograph type, but kept it because it is a small bar napkin that says "BE COOL FOOL, CHEECH." A man of few words, that Cheech.

― TEH ONE AN ONLEY DEANN GULBAREY (deangulberry), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 23:38 (twenty-one years ago)

I cant stand it when I hear someone say 'impactful' is that even a word? Impact is not a property, its created.

― bill stevens (bscrubbins), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 23:45 (twenty-one years ago)

It must say something about ILX that this is the most repeated topic of all time:

Four Words: Use Other Words Please
"Use other words please."
Commonly used phrases that inexplicably bug you
Most irritating cliche/phrase/expression
"Taking Things to a Whole `Nother Level!"
words that annoy
Words that should earn the author a slap
PROVERBIAL and other tip offs to poor writing

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 23:48 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm getting really pissed of with american interpretations of 'Liberal', 'Libertarian' and 'Conservative'

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 23:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I also get upset about "N-Word" as well. If you're using it in a critical context, people will understand that. If you're not, then you should have the conviction to let people hear it if you want to say it.

― TEH ONE AN ONLEY DEANN GULBAREY (deangulberry), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 23:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I hate "touch base" and "metrosexual"

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 23:55 (twenty-one years ago)

OH come on, let's touch bases.

― TEH ONE AN ONLEY DEANN GULBAREY (deangulberry), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, "metrosexual" is possible the lamest noun of the new millenia.

― andy, Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Or is it an adjective? I don't know.

― andy, Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

If my dad wants to agree with something you've said, he says "This is true." It really, really gets me annoyed, for no other reason than overuse as far as I can think.

-- caitlin (wpsal...) (webmail), December 23rd, 2003. (caitlin)

Oh yes, yes yes. I second that one. And the people who say it, say it over and over.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:02 (twenty-one years ago)

But Ed, those words have different interpretations in almost every country in which they are used.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:03 (twenty-one years ago)

I blame the consolidation of global political power and the diminution of class mobility on people who write in the passive voice.

I also have a horror of people who write prolifically in all caps.

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

"It must say something about ILX that this is the most repeated topic of all time..."

This is true.

But, this is a topic that should be dealt with routinely and harshly... the only way we can correct the language and suppress it's organic growth is by exposing and banning every new usage as it occurs... Isn't that what the French do?

― andy, Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Least favorite (mis)usage ever - "ON accident..." it's BY accident you fucking moron!!

Also: 'fridge,' girls who refer to each other as 'girl,' proactive...i'll be back when i think of more....

― roger adultery, Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I know, oops, but still it pisses me off.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:54 (twenty-one years ago)

The recurrence of this topic is always accompanied by the recurrence of complaint about its recurrence.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 01:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Space. All this crap about needing space. Fuck off, then.

― Roderick the Visigoth. (Jake Proudlock), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 03:19 (twenty-one years ago)

All girls must now refer to one another as "guy"

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 24 December 2003 03:30 (twenty-one years ago)

ok?

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 24 December 2003 03:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Using "Sexy" in a business environment that has nothing to do with sex. As in "this is a very sexy proposal for our company". Well, I guess, if ripping people off is what turns you on.

― BrianB (BrianB), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 05:26 (twenty-one years ago)

'exact same'.

― luna (luna.c), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 20:47 (twenty-one years ago)

"bird" instead of "girl" or "woman". AAAAAARGH.

― Melly E (Melly E), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 21:10 (twenty-one years ago)

When people call each other 'babe' and the completely inappropriate use of the word 'literally'. Also can I add at this point, even if it may not be entirely relevant, the unjustifiable grammatical error in Rachael Stevens' song 'Sweet Dreams My LA Ex' : "accuse me of things I never done." And I've listened hard for "I've never done" to try and give her the benefit of the doubt but she doesn't say it.

― barbara wintergreen, Monday, 29 December 2003 18:24 (twenty-one years ago)

"Begging the question" and "chomping at the bit." The first is almost always used incorrectly, and the second should be "champing," Goddamn it.

― Salmon Pink (Salmon Pink), Monday, 29 December 2003 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

or "bits"

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Monday, 29 December 2003 20:34 (twenty-one years ago)

'any way shape or form'. Most heard in full-media-glare denials of misdeeds. Used by dodgy sportsmen who have been 'coached' by their minders for the occasion. It immediately strips the first dozen layers of credibility from whatever statement is being made.

'poetic justice'. Used by the lazy to describe all 'justice' the speaker approves of, instead of a particular type. The adjective is rendered meaningless.

Agree re 'bird' for woman/girl, and lament its threatened return. Stinks of 'I'm being un-PC, where's my medal?'. Also the C-person uses it, which kinda ends the argument.

― Fred Nerk (Fred Nerk), Monday, 29 December 2003 23:59 (twenty-one years ago)

optics

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 30 December 2003 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

also photonic inplace of optic

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 30 December 2003 00:10 (twenty-one years ago)

"the....(insert superlative)...in pop."

― barbara wintergreen, Tuesday, 30 December 2003 00:19 (twenty-one years ago)

To return to the top of the thread, I still after 20 odd years gag on 'outreach' as a VERB....

― Fred Nerk (Fred Nerk), Tuesday, 30 December 2003 00:46 (twenty-one years ago)

the mightily empty "i could care less" variant on being unable to do the same

― ermes marana, Tuesday, 30 December 2003 01:47 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

People who pronounce the word "presentation" as "PRE-sentation".

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Thursday, 18 August 2005 07:29 (twenty years ago)

since i was reading some VICIOUS anti- rachael ray sentiment last night and i'm still feelin' the love: "E.V.O.O. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL"

― s/c (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 18 August 2005 07:32 (twenty years ago)

"YUM-O"

― s/c (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 18 August 2005 07:33 (twenty years ago)

cf.

― gear (gear), Thursday, 18 August 2005 07:34 (twenty years ago)

Also: 'fridge,'

Wait, huh? Fridge is the thing you put food in, whats wrong with it?

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 18 August 2005 08:01 (twenty years ago)

Saying "it impacted on me" instead of "it had an impact on me"... well that's annoying enough but, just recently, I've heard people say "it impacted me" - which surely would only make sense if the speaker was a molar?

― Diddyismus (Dada), Thursday, 18 August 2005 09:10 (twenty years ago)

'fridge,'

I'm picturing him saying things such as "Would you like me to remove another beverage from the refrigerator for you, whilst we watch some association football?"

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:29 (twenty years ago)

bougie, instead of bourgeois. heard it four times last week.

― naus (Robert T), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:38 (twenty years ago)

"Chav"

― Diddyismus (Dada), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:39 (twenty years ago)

bourgie?

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:42 (twenty years ago)

"Yes, sir, I am bougie, I am bougie... etc."

― Win A Lie-Down, Mrs. Davies (kate), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:44 (twenty years ago)

"what the...?"

― jimmy glass (electricsound), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:46 (twenty years ago)

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parenting is more like forgetting memories ime

― kinder, Tuesday, 11 November 2025 13:22 (three weeks ago)

"Making memories" has been sickeningly commercialised too

― Alba, Tuesday, 11 November 2025 15:55 (three weeks ago)

That phrase makes me think scatologically tbh

― sarahell, Wednesday, 12 November 2025 15:13 (three weeks ago)

Ugh, the baby just made some serious memories, ew

― calmer chameleon (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 12 November 2025 15:16 (three weeks ago)

I mean … that’s what babies do?

― sarahell, Wednesday, 12 November 2025 15:19 (three weeks ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6kIZ0BCvUU

― fluffy tufts university (f. hazel), Wednesday, 12 November 2025 15:34 (three weeks ago)

'raw dog'

― Sam Weller, Monday, 17 November 2025 14:20 (three weeks ago)

& the dweebs

― giving you schtick (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Monday, 17 November 2025 14:44 (three weeks ago)

'the juice wasn't worth the squeeze'

heard this twice in a week by journalists on NPR, must be having a moment

― Andy the Grasshopper, Tuesday, 18 November 2025 00:54 (two weeks ago)

It usually accompanies a “nothingburger” iirc

― sarahell, Friday, 21 November 2025 20:18 (two weeks ago)

nothingburger with a side of fuck-all fries

― Edward Albee Sure (Neanderthal), Friday, 21 November 2025 21:08 (two weeks ago)

Is it just me or are people introducing their sentences with the word "honestly" more than they used to? ex: "Honestly? I don't really like cilantro"

Like no one is doubting this very mundane thing you are saying, there is no reason to take an oath

― Paul Ponzi, Friday, 21 November 2025 23:47 (two weeks ago)

Sadly I came by that habit by being treated like shit by people who made me feel bad expressing myself

― Edward Albee Sure (Neanderthal), Friday, 21 November 2025 23:54 (two weeks ago)

i dislike “honestly” because the implied alternative is what, dishonesty? there is the superiority of “frankly,” which has antonyms not of dishonesty but of indirectness or evasiveness. at least to me

― beige accent rug (Hunt3r), Saturday, 22 November 2025 00:35 (two weeks ago)

"genuinely" has seemingly been on the increase here in the last few years - I blame Jonathan Ross

― kinder, Saturday, 22 November 2025 08:25 (two weeks ago)

had a former coworker who was a power user of 'quite frankly'

thanks to the joys of open-plan offices, it became a game to count how many times they used it on a phone call

― mookieproof, Sunday, 23 November 2025 00:14 (two weeks ago)

ha those kinds of office nonsense can provide the only good times imo

― beige accent rug (Hunt3r), Sunday, 23 November 2025 00:20 (two weeks ago)

Genuinely, honestly etc are being used as intensifiers, I don’t understand the confusion at all. Language changes as it always does.

― colonic interrogation (gyac), Tuesday, 25 November 2025 18:07 (one week ago)

Also, Jilly Cooper has a bit about this in The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous (published 1993). Cooper is a snob, as is the character with the criticism, and you are still not meant to sympathise with him on this lol

https://i.postimg.cc/rmYS92dR/IMG-5225.jpg

― colonic interrogation (gyac), Tuesday, 25 November 2025 18:10 (one week ago)

did we cover when someone at work calls someone else a "rock star"? 🤢🤮

― map, Tuesday, 2 December 2025 02:44 (six days ago)

god this also makes me want to kill people

― a tv star not a dirty computer man (the table is the table), Tuesday, 2 December 2025 03:29 (six days ago)

posts vmic :)

― more difficult than I look (Aimless), Tuesday, 2 December 2025 03:54 (six days ago)

hahahaha I called two separate coworkers “rock stars” today. It’s performance rating season.

― trm (tombotomod), Tuesday, 2 December 2025 06:31 (six days ago)

A massive part of me misses my old boss - we really got along well - but I don’t miss her habit of “also, too” at the beginning of certain sentences

― trm (tombotomod), Tuesday, 2 December 2025 06:33 (six days ago)

barf... just heard a Pentagon official say 'war fighters'

― Andy the Grasshopper, Tuesday, 2 December 2025 20:08 (six days ago)

there’s no space btw

― trm (tombotomod), Tuesday, 2 December 2025 20:11 (six days ago)

even worse

― Andy the Grasshopper, Tuesday, 2 December 2025 20:12 (six days ago)

I know

― trm (tombotomod), Tuesday, 2 December 2025 20:35 (six days ago)

wharf heighters

― budo jeru, Tuesday, 2 December 2025 20:38 (six days ago)

When people type multiple silent "e"s for an elongated long vowel sound.
I hateeeeee it.

― m0stly clean (Slowsquatch), Wednesday, 3 December 2025 06:30 (five days ago)

sameeeee hereeee

― trm (tombotomod), Wednesday, 3 December 2025 06:34 (five days ago)

I have succumbed to this in messages with younger friends but every cell in my brain still thinks it should be written as ‘haaaaaaaaate’ etc.

― einstürzende louboutin (suzy), Wednesday, 3 December 2025 06:40 (five days ago)

every cell in your brain otm

― m0stly clean (Slowsquatch), Wednesday, 3 December 2025 07:12 (five days ago)

'go to the mattresses'

― Sam Weller, Wednesday, 3 December 2025 11:13 (five days ago)

Must really grate every time you go to war with the other four families

― 🤷‍♂️ Cunt Tory Cheese (wins), Wednesday, 3 December 2025 11:16 (five days ago)

who are the five families on ILX?

― Edward Albee Sure (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 3 December 2025 14:24 (five days ago)

the use of aesthetic as a predicate adjective ("this is so aesthetic", "10 aesthetic 90s movies")

― 𝔠𝔞𝔢𝔨 (caek), Saturday, 6 December 2025 02:12 (two days ago)

oh god

― map, Saturday, 6 December 2025 02:26 (two days ago)

little did i know that when i was introduced to the word 'aesthetic' in college it would become the dipshittiest word of the 2020s.

― map, Saturday, 6 December 2025 02:28 (two days ago)

like i instantly go you have no fucking real in there

― beige accent rug (Hunt3r), Saturday, 6 December 2025 02:43 (two days ago)

your apartment is so aesthetic you must be a creative!

― map, Saturday, 6 December 2025 02:56 (two days ago)

all of those uses of "aesthetic" should be replaced with "aesthetically pleasing, in other words fly."

― jaymc, Saturday, 6 December 2025 04:07 (two days ago)

Right, aesthetics (as a branch of philosophy) includes judgements about ugliness, revulsion, etc. as much as beauty and elegance.

Unless you're referring to the specific 19th century art movement, in which case you could use the capital-A Aestheticism.

― calmer chameleon (Ye Mad Puffin), Saturday, 6 December 2025 12:07 (two days ago)

to be fair, "classic" has gone through a similar transition and this is probably old man yells at cloud stuff

― 𝔠𝔞𝔢𝔨 (caek), Saturday, 6 December 2025 14:34 (two days ago)

Idk in the context of things like apartments or kitchenware … if someone describes them as “aesthetic” I interpret that as an observation of a prioritization of appearance as opposed to functionality. But for movies, music and anything that is an artwork, it makes the person sound like an idiot.

― sarahell, Saturday, 6 December 2025 15:56 (two days ago)

I am pretty sure I have googled “aesthetic soap dispensers” when I realized I could buy dish soap in those plastic bags for less than in bottles

― sarahell, Saturday, 6 December 2025 16:02 (two days ago)

And … reminded yet again of my dislike of “pathways” for its redundancy especially because it is so commonly used in slide decks where space is limited…

― sarahell, Saturday, 6 December 2025 16:08 (two days ago)

the thing is that “paths” is weird to say it’s snakelike

― Tracer Hand, Saturday, 6 December 2025 23:00 (two days ago)

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