Banned words of 2010
January 5, 2010 by Geneva ReidPosted in: Campus News, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views
Forget about “tweeting,” “friending” and “teachable moments.” They’re all on the most recent annual list of banished words. Take a look at what else has fallen out of favor.
The 35th annual word banishment list is the brainchild of Lake Superior University. Remember “detente” and “at this point in time”? They were on the first list back in 1976.
Here are a few of the verboten words for 2010, according to TheCityWire.com:
- Shovel-ready
- In these economic times
- Stimulus
- Toxic assets
- Transparent/transparency
- App
- Teachable moment
- Friend (as a verb)
Check out the complete list (along with nomination comments) by clicking here.
Any word you’d like to add to the list? Let us know in the comments section below.
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January 6th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
What about the over-used phrases “reach across the aisle” and the analogy of what happens on Wall St (or elsewhere) vs Main St. Please…. enough.
January 6th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Please include this word on the word banishment list. “anyways” I don’t understand how and why it is used. It it a pain to the ears.
January 6th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
My favorite to be included in the next list of banned words is, “what not” – who came up with that phrase anyway?
January 6th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Please include the word AMAZING. It has truly lost it’s punch because of it’s over use.
The other phrase that annoys me is the word ‘connection’ like “I knew we had a connection”
January 6th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
The phrase I’m hearing a lot lately that seems to be just filler is:
“… that being said …”
January 6th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Going forward, please ban “going forward”.
January 6th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
I heard the term “vetting, vetted” etc. about every 5 minutes during the prelude to the November election, and had never heard it before that. I hope to never hear it again. Surely some other term was used before this year?
January 7th, 2010 at 10:57 am
“now more than ever”
January 7th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Really? The renewed and constant use of “Really?” didn’t make the banned list?
Anyways, that’s AMAZING.
Good list, great comments!
January 8th, 2010 at 10:03 am
Nouns indiscriminately turned into verbs because someone thinks this sounds cute or catchy, e.g. let me noodle on that (translation: let me think about that).
January 12th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
This has probably come up previously (I certainly hope so!) but the use of “fun” as in “that was so fun”, still drives me up the wall!
January 13th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Everyone in my office says things are “HILARIOUS!” No, usually not. Overused to the point that it’s completely lost its meaning.
January 20th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
All great suggestions! I would also like to add the following to the list:
“My bad” – have hated this from the first time I heard it
“Human Capital” – very degrading and dehumanizing
January 29th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
How about a limit on the percentage of times the word, “like,” can be used? Like, you know how, like, young people use “like”? Like, this, like, really bothers me.
February 1st, 2010 at 12:58 am
Great and witty response.
February 3rd, 2010 at 1:42 pm
How about awesome. I hate that word.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
How about the words, “reinterate” for reiterate, “supposably” for supposedly, and “conversate” for conversation or communicate or communication?
April 21st, 2010 at 9:06 am
How about “bring” when they mean “take”, as in “We advise you to bring your cat to the vet to be spayed.”
April 28th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Gwen, I found out that “conversate” is not used to mean converse or communicate. It has a particular application as a build up for a sexual encounter. You conversate as a prelude to a one night stand, usually with a complete stranger.