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

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Lately, "veggies" has been bugging the shit out of me... too flip, too Australian sounding. Also, "At the end of the day..." is being heavily abused by politicos... a new catch-phrase with no meaning.

Now, a small cadre of philistines in my office has been using the word "outreach" as a NOUN... "Were you able to establish some outreach with the printers?" etc.

What language abuses have been rubbing you raw lately?

― andy, Tuesday, 23 December 2003 22:18 (twenty-two years ago)

"TURN BACK YOU POXY FULE"

― TEH ONE AN ONLEY DEANN GULBAREY (deangulberry), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 22:35 (twenty-two years ago)

what?

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

my p hurts!

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

I hate "touch base" and "metrosexual"

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

OH come on, let's touch bases.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ok?

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

'exact same'.

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

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

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

or "bits"

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

optics

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

also photonic inplace of optic

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

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

― barbara wintergreen, Tuesday, 30 December 2003 00:19 (twenty-two 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-two 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-two 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)

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Lol I do this too …

― sarahell, Thursday, 26 March 2026 23:13 (one week ago)

lol I do this all the time but usually "anyway, sorry..."

― Colonel Poo, Thursday, 26 March 2026 23:29 (one week ago)

“You’re fine” is certainly cousins with the British “you’re alright”.

― einstürzende louboutin (suzy), Friday, 27 March 2026 00:22 (one week ago)

hate that too

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 27 March 2026 14:20 (one week ago)

lol tracer just mentally add a "by me", that's what's implied anyway :)

― a ZX spectrum is haunting Europe (Daniel_Rf), Friday, 27 March 2026 14:30 (one week ago)

they weren’t directed at me but like, don’t tell me how i am, i will determine if i’m fine or not

Oh god, this reminds me of my mother's more annoying mantras.
"Will you have a drink?"
"No thanks, I'm fine."
"I didn't ask how you were, I asked if you would have a drink."

Basically any phrase that requires me to be more forceful in my refusal of something I have said no to once is annoying to me. This includes any variant on "Ah, go on."

― trishyb, Friday, 27 March 2026 14:37 (one week ago)

I don't mind "you're fine" after an apology. I take it to mean "we are good here, no more need be said."

― trishyb, Friday, 27 March 2026 14:38 (one week ago)

I say "you're fine" when I spot a hot guy.

― The Luda of Suburbia (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 27 March 2026 14:41 (one week ago)

“You’re fine” is certainly cousins with the British “you’re alright”.

You definitely hear the latter a lot in the West of Scotland.

― Schlub 7 (Tom D.), Friday, 27 March 2026 15:10 (one week ago)

Alfred that's spelled foine

― fluffy tufts university (f. hazel), Friday, 27 March 2026 15:36 (one week ago)

When I don't want something I perform Skid Row's "Get the Fuck Out"

― Shitpost Malone (Neanderthal), Friday, 27 March 2026 17:36 (one week ago)

When I don't want something, I perform Extreme's "Get the Funk Out"

― peace, man, Friday, 27 March 2026 17:54 (one week ago)

"chef's kiss"

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Saturday, 28 March 2026 00:22 (six days ago)

the trnd of lvng vwls out of evrythng

― dream mummy (map), Saturday, 28 March 2026 00:54 (six days ago)

I wouldn't call it a tornado.

― jmm, Saturday, 28 March 2026 01:59 (six days ago)

Have I previously complained about “noshing”? Crops up regularly on the NYT crossword and makes my skin crawl every time. Sounds like one of the trend words that Seattle scenester made up to spoof a newspaper which called to get the lowdown on grunge in the 90s.

― assert (matttkkkk), Saturday, 28 March 2026 02:30 (six days ago)

Noshing as in eating? That's very outdated Brit slang!

― brian of britain (Matt #2), Saturday, 28 March 2026 03:01 (six days ago)

Oy vey, ‘nosh’ is Yiddish.

― einstürzende louboutin (suzy), Saturday, 28 March 2026 05:16 (six days ago)

it's not gnosh?! i always assumed it was the gnash relative.

― My homies buttthole surfers' record sounds like a f (Western® with Bacon Flavor), Saturday, 28 March 2026 05:26 (six days ago)

No, gnash is Nordic.

The top Jewish delicatessen in Minneapolis had ‘Kibitz and Nosh’ as its advertising slogan (‘kibitz’ is Yiddish for sitting around and chatting). This is giving me Lincoln Del hiraeth and now I want a corned beef on pumpernickel experience that’s been unavailable since 2003.

― einstürzende louboutin (suzy), Saturday, 28 March 2026 06:32 (six days ago)

Yeah, my grandma used to say nosh...

― m0stly clean (Slowsquatch), Saturday, 28 March 2026 13:13 (six days ago)

south coast of UK in 90s... noshing was schoolboy slang for oral sex - so even now i will always have that come to mind when i hear it elsewhere

― . (jamiesummerz), Saturday, 28 March 2026 14:03 (six days ago)

Didn't realise it was Yiddish! I associate the word with The Beano.

― brian of britain (Matt #2), Saturday, 28 March 2026 14:30 (six days ago)

lately I've noticed people on the internet using the term "instrumentals" to just mean...music. Not like, a track that is completely sans vocals, but just the parts that are not vocals. I suppose this is like 'vinyls' where I probably jut have to accept that common usage is evolving the language, but I don't like it.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Saturday, 28 March 2026 14:55 (six days ago)

OED says that the English verb "nosh" derives from Yiddish and originally meant "to nibble a snack, delicacy, etc." It later expanded to mean "to eat, have a meal."

The verb also led to a noun form, but there is a transatlantic difference. In North America, "nosh" as a noun retains the original limiting sense of "food which may be nibbled as a snack or delicacy," while the more general sense of "food, a meal" is chiefly British.

As an American, I'd say "nosh on some crackers" sounds quite common, "have a nosh" is recognizable but has a distinctly Jewish feel, and "have some nosh" is unfamiliar.

― jaymc, Saturday, 28 March 2026 15:35 (six days ago)

i saw this on the Steely Dan sub recently, someone was looking for Steely Dan instrumentals and way too many people were just answering w/parts of songs where they weren't singing.

― omar little, Saturday, 28 March 2026 15:57 (six days ago)

Can't hear 'nosh' without thinking of that Giles Coren rant

― kinder, Saturday, 28 March 2026 16:23 (six days ago)

Same, alas.

― Alba, Saturday, 28 March 2026 20:36 (six days ago)

Neurospicy

― Lady Sovereign (Citizen) (milo z), Saturday, 28 March 2026 21:13 (six days ago)

amazeballs, awesomesauce

― Mollusk, Virginia (Boring, Maryland), Saturday, 28 March 2026 21:50 (six days ago)

i respond to apologies with "you're good" all the time

― c u (crüt), Saturday, 28 March 2026 22:05 (six days ago)

or more precisely "ah you're good"

― c u (crüt), Saturday, 28 March 2026 22:06 (six days ago)

Ok, this is more of an annoyance at my sister, but others have used it. I’ll tell her I’m going to a gig or have bought a record. She’ll ask who it is and then without fail she’ll go ‘never heard of them’.

Fair enough, but try showing some curiosity as to what they sound like instead of coming across as pig ignorant.

― Dan Worsley, Monday, 30 March 2026 19:34 (four days ago)

who said that? your sister? never heard of her

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Monday, 30 March 2026 20:52 (four days ago)

i think my reflex is “all good” or “we’re good,” which is likely exactly the same but maybe is my effort to take agency not sure

― strictly hard music (Hunt3r), Monday, 30 March 2026 22:17 (four days ago)

"It's all good" became so overused among hippies in my area in the early 2000s, that one of my friends would snap back at them, "No, some of it sucks!"

― peace, man, Tuesday, 31 March 2026 12:47 (three days ago)

I really dislike people saying "does it pass the sniff test". Just feels gross and inappropriate for talking about a piece of software or a technical idea in the workplace, which is where I hear it most. I guess it comes from checking food in your fridge but even then it conjures horrible images of someone very carefully smelling a rancid piece of meat.

― LocalGarda, Tuesday, 31 March 2026 13:22 (three days ago)

i use the sniff test on my armpits

― Mollusk, Virginia (Boring, Maryland), Tuesday, 31 March 2026 13:24 (three days ago)

I don't even like people doing to sniff test on milk

― Alba, Tuesday, 31 March 2026 13:35 (three days ago)

sure beats putting foul chunky milk in your mouth

― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Tuesday, 31 March 2026 13:37 (three days ago)

“cuck”

It’s such a right-coded insult, usually coming from guys who totally want to watch their wives getting nailed*. It popped up in a thread on here recently and I wrinkled my face and said “ew” out loud.

No problem with the kink, just it’s use as an insult in the past few years.

― Cow_Art, Tuesday, 31 March 2026 13:58 (three days ago)

“Getting his/her flowers”

I’m just sick of this. I see it constantly now. It’s over, come up with another phrase.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Thursday, 2 April 2026 03:42 (yesterday)

Cuck is also over.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Thursday, 2 April 2026 03:43 (yesterday)

xp: Yes! Still bugging me.

Gave them their flowers/gave him his flowers/gave her her flowers

Been hearing this crop up a lot lately. My understanding is that it means to give public praise and acknowledgement, perhaps to someone whose work has gone unrecognized. I don't know the origin. It just irritates me.

― peace, man, Tuesday, February 4, 2025 10:57 AM (one year ago) bookmarkflaglink

― peace, man, Thursday, 2 April 2026 11:09 (yesterday)

Origin seems to be in African American religious culture. Linguist Ben Zimmer compiled examples of uses going back to the 19th century:

https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2024-August/165778.html

― jaymc, Thursday, 2 April 2026 14:07 (yesterday)

Well, thanks a lot, jaymc. Now I feel like a jerk. :)

― peace, man, Thursday, 2 April 2026 14:22 (yesterday)

Haha not my intention. I just got curious. Agree that it has become overused.

― jaymc, Thursday, 2 April 2026 14:24 (yesterday)

Yeah, and I'm honestly glad to know the history, too.

― peace, man, Thursday, 2 April 2026 14:31 (yesterday)

lots of now "annoying" phrases on social media derive from Black American culture — the problem is everyone else borrowing them and repeating them until they're tired cliches

― obvious old hat (rob), Thursday, 2 April 2026 14:58 (yesterday)

frankly that observation is itself a cliche at this point!

― obvious old hat (rob), Thursday, 2 April 2026 14:58 (yesterday)

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