海角社区

鈥淭here are six or seven reasons why this phrase needs to be stopped,鈥� says Paul E. from WI. The volume of submissions for this one could have taken up the whole list, at least slots 6-7. The top banishment this year, Scott T. from UT adds, 鈥渋t鈥檚 time for 鈥�6-7鈥� to be 86鈥檈d.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 very said more than very done, and we鈥檙e all very done hearing it!鈥� remarks Tammy S. Often used in the phrase 鈥榲ery demure, very mindful,鈥� Madison C. shares that the overuse 鈥渨aters down the real meaning.鈥�

鈥淗earing it鈥�my brain feels 鈥榗ooked,鈥欌�� groans Zac A. from VA. Parents and guardians led the charge on this one, with some feeling this isn鈥檛 enough. James C. from WA suggests a ban of 鈥渁ll forms of the word cook,鈥� hoping that hearing them will become rare.

鈥淲ay overused! (often incorrectly),鈥� exclaim Don and Gail K. from MN. This word鈥檚 massive overuse has secured its place on this year鈥檚 list.

In the longstanding effort to turn nouns into verbs, this is another culprit. Two separate submissions likened hearing this word to 鈥渘ails on a chalkboard.鈥� Patricia from TX asks, 鈥淲hat鈥檚 wrong with motivate?鈥�

鈥淔or the same reason 鈥榩eriod鈥� was banished鈥�redundant punctuation,鈥� explains Marybeth A. from OR.

鈥淭here are very few instances when the word actually applies,鈥� notes Jo H. from CA. Often heard during customer service interactions, Char S. from OH wonders: 鈥淗ow do they know it鈥檚 perfect鈥�what does that mean?鈥�

鈥淚 found this on the 1994 list, but it will make me feel better to recommend that it be included once again,鈥� reveals James S. from OK. Another case of a noun being used as a verb.

In the 1998 banishment, Elizabeth P. from MI suggested, 鈥渟tudents and adults sound infantile when using this to apologize.鈥� The phrase hasn鈥檛 matured in credibility since then. Andrea R. from OH shared, 鈥淚t does not convey much meaning in the way of an apology.鈥�

First banished in 1994, this saying has strayed from the positive message it once intended to deliver. 鈥淲hat started as a phrase with emotional support overtones has now become absurdly overused,鈥� asserts Kevin B. from the United Kingdom.

While 鈥渃ringe鈥� once packed a punch, it has now overstayed its welcome. Overuse has dulled its impact, and ironically, using it might now cause the very reaction it describes.听 鈥淪aying someone 鈥榗aused you to cringe鈥� or stating that 鈥榶ou cringed at something鈥� is a pretty easy and proper way to use the word,鈥� writes Ash from Newton, Alabama.听 鈥淗earing someone say 鈥榮omeone is so cringe鈥� makes me cringe!鈥�

How many times can a game change before it is no longer recognizable? This phrase, often used to describe anything remotely innovative, is as tired as a well-worn clich茅. 鈥淣othing is a game changer if everything is a game changer,鈥� writes Patrick of Washington, DC.

Unless you are Taylor Swift, it might be time to leave 鈥渆ra鈥� behind. The term鈥檚 overuse has made every fleeting moment feel like it demands a historical marker. Leah of Holland, Michigan submits, 鈥淭hanks to the name of Taylor Swift鈥檚 tour, now there is an 鈥榚ra鈥� for everyone and everything!听 鈥楬e鈥檚 in his fatherhood era鈥�, 鈥楽he鈥檚 in her pottery-making era,鈥� etc., etc..听 It鈥檚 overused and tiring.鈥�

Once edgy and cool, 鈥渄ropped鈥� has become more of a letdown. Whether it is an album, a trend, or a product, this term has fallen flat.听 鈥淏ooks, music, and all kinds of unnecessary things are currently being 鈥榙ropped鈥� rather than introduced, released, or offered for sale.听 Banished for overuse, misuse, abuse, and hurting my head when all that “dropping” stuff lands on me!,鈥� laments Susan of Littleton, CO.

Internet slang and texting abbreviations are often fan-favorites of Banished Word submitters each year.听 Cryptic and exclusionary, this phrase offers little clarity or substance. If you know, you might agree it is time to let this one go.听 Amy from Redford, MI feels this phrase should go for being both irritating and nonsensical.

A half-hearted apology masquerading as bold honesty, this phrase feels as disingenuous as it sounds. Banished Word enthusiasts recommend听 just saying what you mean or in at least one case showing a little kindness.听 Sabrina from Wrenshall, MN writes, 鈥淚t is really tiring to hear, and it is giving people another reason to be jerks to one another.鈥�

This viral word may have resonated with a younger crowd, but for many it is just noise. Agatha from Denmark explains, 鈥淣obody cares about a Skibidi toilet, Skibidi fizz, or Skibidi Ohio fanum tax. At this point, nobody even knows what it means and it just annoys people.鈥�

Is it possible to be over-enthusiastic about retiring the phrase 鈥�100%鈥�? Absolutely! Its overuse has left no room for nuance or doubt.听 A phrase predominantly nominated for its overuse, some felt it was simply not applicable.听 鈥淪ince when should a percentage be used to describe your agreement in a conversation?鈥� asked Stephen from Sudbury, Ontario.听听

A classic offender, 鈥渦tilize鈥� proves that longer is not always better. Why complicate things when 鈥渦se鈥� works just fine?听 Everett from Cumby, Texas encourages readers to 鈥淲rite like you talk,鈥� and added, 鈥淟ord, I hope you don鈥檛 talk like that.鈥�

Yes, we understand your point鈥攏o need to verbally punctuate it. Overuse has turned this into a period we are ready to end.听 Theresa from Detroit, MI, recommends that we banish this word by putting it in a bottle and sending it out to sea.听听

Sometimes a word needs to be re-banished, and this is one of them. Many comments note that it is overused and meaningless, often employed as a rhetorical device that attempts to encapsulate the complexities of a situation summarily, lacking nuance and depth.

From the comments: 鈥淭he use of this term is cringe-worthy.鈥� The irony is served hot, as the very term 鈥渃ringe-worthy鈥� finds itself under the spotlight. It鈥檚 like a word caught in its own cringe-worthy moment. Now, as we usher in the new year, it鈥檚 time to decide if this linguistic drama deserves an encore or if we should bid 鈥渃ringe-worthy鈥� adieu to make room for fresh, less cringe-inducing expressions in 2024.

The term 鈥渉ack鈥� has increasingly become a popular buzzword, frequently utilized to impart an aura of innovation or sophistication to various subjects. Its widespread adoption in multiple contexts, extending beyond its initial technological context, has the potential to lessen its inherent significance. Using it everywhere, even beyond its tech roots, could make it lose its magic.

This one appeared on the list in 2009, so perhaps it鈥檚 time for another attempt to point out its overuse and lack of meaning in most situations. Despite its initial recognition as a word worthy of distinction, its repeated application in contexts that don鈥檛 merit such acclaim challenges its genuine iconic status. It鈥檚 like that one-hit wonder playing on loop.

Especially as a verb, why use this word when we have a perfectly good word that makes more sense: 鈥渁ffect鈥�? Overusing it not only takes away its pizzazz but also robs other words of their spotlight.

The use of this word for things that are not truly being obsessed over makes it a good candidate for rethinking how we use the word. The casual use of 鈥渙bsessed鈥� to describe routine interests or preferences underscores a potential misappropriation of the term, prompting a reconsideration of its application. Should one be obsessed with a new kitchen gadget or a new shade of paint? This year鈥檚 contributors think not.

Rizz, derived as a shortened form for 鈥渃harisma,鈥� gained prominence as Oxford鈥檚 word of the year and has become a familiar presence in the realm of social media discourse. The ubiquity of this term prompts contemplation on whether it retains its relevance. With language doing the cha-cha of change, we鈥檙e wondering if this word still rocks the charisma scene or if it鈥檚 time for a language remix.

The term 鈥渟ide hustle鈥� has gained widespread use, prompting considerations about its impact on how we perceive economic challenges. It may be worth reflecting on whether its prevalence inadvertently downplays the genuine reality of the situation. While 鈥榮ide-hustle鈥� adds flair to our language, our contributors feel that the only hustle is the one needed to get to their second job.

While perfectly acceptable in specific contexts, 鈥渟lay鈥� has transcended its original meaning and infiltrated situations where its usage no longer aligns with its intended significance. Its transition from a specialized term denoting exceptional accomplishment to a commonplace expression for any achievement prompts scrutiny into its misapplication, particularly in the characterization of routine or mundane actions. Now, it鈥檚 sprinkled everywhere鈥攆rom wearing a stylish outfit to tackling the art of parallel parking.

If we鈥檙e watching the video, then we鈥檙e already waiting for it, right? While 鈥渨ait for it鈥� is trying to be the hype master, let鈥檚 question if it鈥檚 adding extra sparkle or just stating the obvious?

Banished in 1996, but deserves a repeat nope given its overuse. Usurped the simple 鈥測es,鈥� laments a contributor. Another condemned it as 鈥渢he current default to express agreement, endemically present on TV in one-on-one interviews.鈥� Frequently 鈥渟aid too loudly by annoying people who think they鈥檙e better than you,鈥� bemoaned an aggrieved observer. 鈥淪ounds like it comes with a guarantee when that may not be the case,鈥� cautioned a wary watchdog.

鈥淣ot everything is amazing; and when you think about it, very little is,鈥� a dissenter explained. 鈥淭his glorious word should be reserved for that which is dazzling, moving, or awe-inspiring,鈥� to paraphrase another, 鈥渓ike the divine face of a newborn.鈥� Initially banished for misuse, overuse, and uselessness in 2012. Its cyclical return mandates further nixing of the 鈥済eneric,鈥� 鈥渂anal and hollow鈥� modifier鈥攁 鈥渨orn-out adjective from people short on vocabulary.鈥�

Submitters rejected the desire, perhaps demand, for clarification or affirmation as filler, insecurity, and passive aggression. 鈥淲hy say it, if you must ask? It just doesn鈥檛 make sense!鈥� tsk-tsked one. In this call for reassurance or act of false modesty, enquirers warp respondents into 鈥渃o-conspirators,鈥� deduced another. Needy, scheming, and/or cynical. Let me be clear, judges opined: Always make sense; don鈥檛 think aloud or play games! Misuse, overuse, and uselessness.

Misuse and overuse through deceit鈥攂ecause the friend is a ruse. This cutesy phrase, often deployed in social media posts in a coy attempt to deter self-identification, isn鈥檛 fooling anyone. Paraphrasing one sage, 鈥淥nce used to avoid embarrassment, as in, 鈥楧o you know a good proctologist? I鈥檓 asking for a friend.鈥� Sometimes an occasional sitcom joke. Now an overused tag with absolutely no relationship to its antecedent.鈥�

Twenty-plus years after original banishment of this phrase in 1999, the day still isn鈥檛 over for this misused, overused, and useless expression. 鈥淢any times things don鈥檛 end at the end of the day鈥攐r even the ramifications of whatever is happening,鈥� observed a sage. Others consider 鈥渄ay鈥� an imprecise measure. Today? Present times? Banishment in 1999: overused synopsis of a conversation or debate, often by politicians and pundits.

Treats colloquy like an ice skating rink, as if we must circle back to our previous location to return to a prior subject. Let鈥檚 circle back about why to banish this jargon. It鈥檚 a conversation, not the Winter Olympics. Opined a grammarian, 鈥淭he most overused phrase in business, government, or other organization since 鈥榮ynergy鈥欌�濃�攚hich we banished in 2002 as evasive blanket terminology and smarty-pants puffery.

鈥淭he only time to dive into something is when entering a body of water, not going more in-depth into a particular subject or book,鈥� admonished a petitioner. Another stipulated that people who float the phrase aren鈥檛 near pool, lake, ocean, or sea; thus, rather than dive deeply, they flounder shallowly. An editing whiz wondered, 鈥淒o we need 鈥榙eep鈥�? I mean, does anyone dive into the shallow end?鈥�

Overused catchall for ways COVID-19 affects humankind鈥攁nd banishment finalist last year for similar reasons. 鈥淭hose clamoring for the days of old, circa 2019, use this to signal unintentionally that they haven鈥檛 come to terms with what 鈥榥ormal鈥� means,鈥� a monitor elucidated. 鈥淎fter a couple of years, is any of this really 鈥榥ew鈥�?鈥� another speculated. Banished in 2012 for imprudence, defeatism, and apathy stemming from societal missteps.

Nominated by writers nationwide for misuse and overuse, this phrase incorrectly substitutes for 鈥淵ou鈥檙e welcome鈥� when someone says 鈥淭hank you.鈥� A further bungling relates to insensitivity. 鈥淚f I鈥檓 not worried, I don鈥檛 want anyone telling me not to worry,鈥� a contributor explicated. 鈥淚f I am upset, I want to discuss being upset.鈥� Despite its meaninglessness, the term is recommended to emailers by Google Assistant.

Word-watchers noticed the frequent, unfortunate appearance of this phrase toward the end of this year as the coronavirus persisted. 鈥淚t鈥檚 become automatically included in reporting of consumer goods shortages or perceived shortages. In other words, a buzzword,鈥� concluded one analyst. 鈥淪upply chain issues have become the scapegoat of everything that doesn鈥檛 happen or arrive on time and of every shortage,鈥� noticed another. The adverse result: overuse ad nauseam.

Nominators cited this phrase as verbal filler, redundant justification, and pompous posturing. For instance, 鈥渉owever鈥� or 鈥渂ut鈥攅ven 鈥渢hat said鈥濃�攄oes the job as a transition instead of the wordiness. 鈥淕o ahead and say what you want already!鈥� demanded one entrant. That being said, its usefulness is certainly in doubt. As a commentator philosophized, 鈥淎t the end of the day, if you will, it already has been.鈥�

Most frequently found in text or on social media, this ubiquitous imperative question is a failed 鈥渞esponse to a statement to express astonishment, misunderstanding, or disbelief,鈥� explained a wordsmith. 鈥淚 hate it,鈥� added another, because the command query is an inexact method to convey the utterer鈥檚 uncertainty or surprise. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to wait,鈥� either, continued the second impassioned nominator. Misuse and overuse.

People switched from in-person exchanges to virtual meetings to follow the social distancing protocol of COVID-19, and the unwitting deafening silence happens on both sides of the camera. Overuse and uselessness, then, due to ineptitude. A discerning submitter encapsulated the issue: 鈥淲e鈥檙e two years into remote working and visiting. It鈥檚 time for everyone to figure out where the mute button is.鈥� Or as a quipster summarized, 鈥淗ello? Hello?鈥�

A large number of nominators are clearly resentful of the virus and how it has overtaken our vocabulary. No matter how necessary or socially and medically useful these words are, the committee cannot help but wish we could banish them along with the virus itself. Coincidentally, this list arrives as does a vaccine鈥攖he committee hopes this proves a type of double whammy.

An amusing phrase flooding social media, 鈥淚 know, right?鈥� is a relatively new construction to convey empathy with those who have expressed agreement. But as one wordsmith put it, if you know, why do you need to ask if it鈥檚 correct or seek further approval? Another grammarian suggested that the desire for confirmation connotes insecurity. In other words, it鈥檚 reiterating something already seconded.

Yes, humanity needs to follow safeguards during COVID-19. The statistics are sobering: more than 342,000 deaths and more than 19 million confirmed cases in the U.S. and more than 1.8 million deaths and more than 82 million confirmed cases worldwide. But the phrasing about how to take preventative steps is vague. What is the standard measurement for caution, metric or U.S. standard?

It鈥檚 easy to see why this phrase was nominated, right? I mean 鈥� 鈥� John Leask, Alpena, Michigan

According to Urban Dictionary, 鈥淎 word Instagram users use to describe themselves to make them feel famous and more important when no one really know who they are or care.鈥� 鈥� Sylvia Gurinsky, Davie, Florida; Jeff Lewis, Ada, Michigan; Paul Bartunek, Los Angeles, California; Jacqueline Reardon, Burlington, New Jersey; diva_angel360

An abbreviation of 鈥渏ealous,鈥� the committee agrees with the nominator of this word who suggested that it鈥檚 better left for toast. 鈥� Mike Bassarab, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Surprisingly, this word hasn鈥檛 already been banished, but here it is, one of the few words in English that has begun to serve as its own antonym. Many of the nominators cite this word鈥檚 use for figurative expressions or emphasis, which is literally annoying. 鈥� Edward, Glendale, Arizona; Ryan Chenier, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Daniel Kirk, San Luis Obispo, California; Dale Martin, Novi, Michigan; Jack Pollard, Haslett, Michigan; Gary Wenger, Delta, British Columbia, Canada; Christy Borthick, Nashville, Tennessee; Pamela Naylor, Dover, Delaware; Jamie Rankin, Connellsville, Pennsylvania; Margaret, Los Angeles, California; and Jennifer W Berlin, Anthem, Arizona

The committee very much enjoys exercising its authority in banishing words annually鈥搇iterally the capstone of our year鈥揵ut as Eric says, apart from reincarnation, are there 鈥渙ptions for multiple lives鈥�? 鈥� Gary Wheelock, Wixom, Michigan; Eric Park, Rock Hill, South Carolina

A word used by foodies to describe the texture of food or drink in the mouth, which the committee feels should be banished entirely from food reality TV shows. As our nominator asks, 鈥淲here else, exactly, would you like to touch your food or beverage?鈥� This one just doesn鈥檛 feel right in the mouth. 鈥� Jodi Miller, Gahanna, Ohio

This phrase caught on late this year on the Internet as a response from millennials to the older generation. Boomers may remember, however, that generational tension is always present. In fact, it was the Boomers who gave us the declaration: 鈥淒on鈥檛 trust anyone over 30!鈥� 鈥� Curtis McDonald, Shelby Township, Michigan; Scott Eldridge, Kalamazoo, Michigan; and Devin Greaney, Cordova, Tennessee

This phrase received the most nominations this year, with a noticeable spike in November (gee, we wonder why 鈥�). The popularity of this phrase has the committee wondering what it should offer in exchange for next year鈥檚 nominations. 鈥� Mary Bilyeu, Toledo, Ohio; Deborah Rempala, Saint Clair Shores, Michigan; Julie Janiskee, Petoskey, Michigan; Deanna, Sault Ste Marie, Michigan; Jeff Lewis, Ada, Michigan; Lisa K Farrell, Los Angeles, California; Tana Baldwin, Petoskey , Michigan; Trudy Salo, Liberty Twp, Ohio; Tom Reilly, Bloomfield Twp, Michigan; Jeff Malcolm, Paw Paw, Michigan; Daniel Muldoon, Council Bluffs, Iowa; Kate TerHaar, Cedarville, Michigan; Mary J., Houston, Texas; Lori Moore, Kalamazoo, Michigan; Steve Carr, Marquette, Michigan; R. Osinski, Clinton Twp., Michigan; Dan Berardi, Arnprior, Ontario, Canada.

Another abbreviation, this time of 鈥渢otally.鈥� Totes overused. 鈥� Samantha Stuart, Walker, Michigan

A new use of the 60s term, 鈥済ood vibes.鈥� This one just doesn鈥檛 vibe with us anymore, unless the speaker is actually vibrating. 鈥� Leah Mockridge, Sault Ste Marie, Michigan and Carissa, Sault Ste Marie, Michigan

鈥淗ard to spell, not specific, and anachronistic when 鈥榓ccessories鈥� will do.鈥� 鈥� Leslie, Scottsdale, Arizona

as in two or more parties limiting competition by deception 鈥� John, Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan

鈥淲e all need to collude on getting rid of this word.鈥�

鈥淭his has become a popular insult. It鈥檚 disgusting and sounds weird. Make the madness stop.鈥� 鈥� Hannah, Campbellsville, Kentucky

鈥淣obody ever actually says this word out loud, they just write it for filler.鈥� 鈥� Mary, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

鈥淪omebody doesn鈥檛 want to talk with you. Get over it. No need to bring the paranormal into the equation.鈥� 鈥� Carrie, Caledonia, Michigan

鈥淧eople who struggle with ideas and issues now grapple with them. I prefer to grapple with a wrestler or an overgrown tree. 鈥� 鈥� David, Traverse City, Michigan

鈥淭otally unnecessary when 鈥榠mportant鈥� is sufficient. 鈥楳ore importantly鈥� (banned in 1992) apparently sounds more important but is also senseless.鈥� 鈥� Constance, Pace, Texas

As in finished or concluded 鈥� Sandy, White Lake Township, Michigan

鈥淚t seems everyone鈥檚 holiday party is in the books this year, and it鈥檚 all there for friends to view on social media, along with the photos of the happy party attendees.鈥�

鈥淵ou鈥檙e a little tipsy, that鈥檚 all. That鈥檚 legally drunk. People who are ticketed for drunk driving are actually 鈥榠llegally drunk,鈥� and we should say so.鈥� 鈥� Philip, Auburn, Indiana

鈥淥riginally meant to take a claim or dispute to a law court . . . appropriated by politicians and journalists for any matter of controversy in the public sphere.鈥� 鈥� Ronald, 鈥� Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

鈥淣ot that we haven鈥檛 had six or seven back-to-back most important elections of our time.鈥� 鈥� Jos茅, Ozark, Arkansas

鈥淭he trendy way to say 鈥榓ppearance鈥�.鈥� 鈥� Bob Tempe, Arizona

鈥淥verused useless word for the President, Supreme Court, First Lady.鈥� 鈥� David, Kinross, Michigan

鈥淧eople use it as an excuse to rant. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter have become platforms. Even athletes call a post-game interview a 鈥榩latform.鈥� Step down from the platform, already.鈥� 鈥� Michael, Alameda, California

鈥淭houghts aren鈥檛 ranked or scored. How can someone hold a thought-lead, much less even lead by thought?鈥�; Paul, Ann Arbor, Michigan., 鈥淚f you follow a thought leader, you鈥檙e not much of a thinker.鈥� 鈥� Matt, Superior, Colorado

As in area of expertise 鈥� Chris, Battle Creek, Michigan

鈥淚t鈥檚 not in my wheelhouse to explain why dreadful words should be banished!鈥�- Currie, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

鈥淚rritating, has become a clich茅, annoys me, offence to the English language, etc.鈥� 鈥� Kevin, Portland, Oregon

鈥淚t鈥檚 an awkward word to use in the 21st century. Most people have never seen a wheelhouse.鈥�

鈥淚mpossible to do and makes no sense.鈥� 鈥� Linda, Bloomington, Minnesota

as in to vigorously throw or toss 鈥� Emily, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淚f I hear one more freshman say 鈥測eet,鈥� I might just yeet myself out a window.鈥�

An impulsive typo, born into a 140-character universe, somehow missed by the autocorrect feature.

As in to dish out the latest rumor on someone. Let鈥檚 go back to 鈥榯alks about鈥� and leave dishes in the cupboard.

Instead of expanding on a statement, we 鈥渄rill down on it.鈥�

Once upon a time stories could be empirically disproved. Now 鈥榝ake news鈥� is any story you disagree with.

Gigs are for musicians and stand-up comedians. Now expanded to imply a sense of freedom and a lifestyle that rejects tradition in a changing economic culture. Runs a risk of sharecropping.

Hot water does not need to be heated. 鈥榃ater heater鈥� or 鈥榟ot water maker鈥� will keep us out of hot water.

A frivolous word groping for something 鈥榚ffective鈥� or 鈥榠nfluential.鈥�

Wholly unnecessary statement. Just ask the question already.

One could say shocking, profound, or important. Let that sink in.

Says nothing that 鈥榥othing鈥� doesn鈥檛 already. I鈥檒l take a quarter-pound of something in mine.

Creature from the HR Lagoon. We used to have hiring, training and orientation. Now we need to have an 鈥渙nboarding鈥� process. Firings, quitting, and retirements are streamlined into 鈥渙ffboarding.鈥�

What is so disgraceful about owning a used car now and then?

Refers to an exaggerated quantity, as in tons of sunshine or tons of work. 鈥楲ots鈥� would surely suffice.

Misused word for analyze, consider, assess. Concepts or positions are not packed, so they don鈥檛 need to be unpacked.

A texting encryption of, I love you: 8 letters, 3 words, 1 meaning. Never encrypt or abbreviate one鈥檚 love.

After consulting a listing of synonyms, we gather this to be a bugbear, pet peeve, bug-boo, pain, or pest to our nominators.

Did the candidate say 鈥渂ig league鈥� or utter this 19th-Century word that means, in a swelling blustering manner? Who cares? Kick it out of the echo chamber!

The flabby opposite of a chiseled-body male ideal. Should not empower dads to pursue a sedentary lifestyle.

Nominators are exhausted from 2016鈥檚 disruption. When humanity looks back on zombie buzzwords, they will see disruption bumping into other overused synonyms for change.

Lather, rinse, and repeat. After a while, everything sounds the same.

Good word, but overused when concentrate or look at would work fine. See 1983鈥檚 banishment of, We Must Focus Our Attention.

Another food group co-opted by 鈥渇rankenfood.鈥� Not to be confused with other forms of genetically modified language.

The Committee is not sure why this malapropism got nominators鈥� dander up in 2016.

To abruptly end communication, especially on social media. Is it rejection angst, or is this word really as overused as word-banishment nominators contend? Either way, our committee feels the pain.

When guess and estimate are never enough.

Thrown around far too much. What鈥檚 considered as such is best left to historians rather than the contemporary media.

Numbered or bulleted list created primarily to generate views on the Web, LSSU鈥檚 word-banishment list excluded.

As in a manicured lawn. Golf greens are the closest grass comes to being manicured.

Anything that is on-point, perfectly executed, or looking good. Needs to return to its genesis: perfectly groomed eyebrows

To paraphrase the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, we are entitled to our own opinions but not to our own facts.

In what could be an ominous development, the selfie 鈥� an irritating habit of constantly photographing and posting oneself to social media 鈥� is being handed off to a flying camera. How can this end badly?

Candidates seldom debate in town halls anymore. Needs to be shown the door along with 鈥渟occer mom(s)鈥� and 鈥淛oe Sixpack鈥� (banned in 1997).

Hails from a more civilized era when duels were the likely outcome of disagreements. Today, we suffer on-line trolls and Internet shaming.

A phrase that is annoying online word-watchers around the world.

鈥淎n annoying bit of hyperbole about the latest saucy picture or controversy that is already becoming trite.鈥� 鈥� Tim Bednall, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Online publications invite us to 鈥渏oin the conversation,鈥� which is usually more of a scream-fest. Gayle from Cedarville, Michigan wonders if 鈥渄ebate has become too harsh for our delicate sensibilities. Now we are all encouraged to have a 鈥榗onversation,鈥� and everything will somewhat be magically resolved.鈥�

鈥淥ver the past five years or so, this word has been increasingly used by talking heads on radio, television and in political circles to describe every form of verbal communication known to mankind. It has replaced 鈥榙iscussion,鈥� 鈥榙ebate,鈥� 鈥榗hat,鈥� 鈥榙iscourse,鈥� 鈥榓rgument,鈥� 鈥榣ecture,鈥� 鈥榯alk鈥� 鈥� .all of which can provide some context to the nature of the communication. Perhaps the users feel that it is a word that is least likely to offend people, but I consider it to be imprecise language that, over time, dumbs down the art of effective discourse.鈥� 鈥� Richard Fry, Marathon, Ontario, Canada

鈥淯sed by every media type without exception. No one listens.鈥� 鈥� Richard Seitz, Charleston, Illinois

鈥淗ave one, start one, engage in one. Enough.鈥� 鈥� Fred Rogers, Houston, Texas

We are invited to 鈥渏oin the conversation if we want to give an opinion. This expression is overused and it is annoying. Thanks for listening, eh.鈥� 鈥� Debbie Irwin, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

The phrase refers to anything that may excite a person, or something that causes one to laugh.

鈥淚 suggest banishing this hyperbole for over-use,鈥� says Ana Robbins, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淭his list of banished words is 鈥榞iving me life鈥�!鈥�

A word that is familiar to those in bigger cities, where seats on the bus or subway are sometimes difficult to find.

鈥淢en don鈥檛 need another disgusting-sounding word thrown into the vocabulary to describe something they do 鈥� You鈥檙e just taking too much room on this train seat, be a little more polite 鈥︹�� 鈥� Carrie Hansen, Caledonia, Michigan

鈥淭he term itself is stupid, and the campaign and petition written by men鈥檚 rights activists claiming that men need to take up more space due to their anatomy, and that anti-manspreading campaigns are 鈥榤ale-bashing,鈥� are ridiculous. The problem is with people taking up too much space on the subway or any public mode of transportation. 鈥� Beth, Anchorage, Alaska

We had to include one for the sports fans. John Kollig of Jamestown, N.Y., says this is overused by every sports broadcaster and writer.

鈥淚 am not sure who is responsible, but over the last 12-18 months you cannot watch a sporting event, listen to a sports talk show on radio, or anything on ESPN without someone using this term to attempt to describe an athlete or a contest.鈥� 鈥� Dan Beitzel, Perrysburg, Ohio

鈥淓very time I hear them say it, I change the channel.鈥� 鈥� Brenda Ruffing, Jackson, Michigan

鈥淲hat the heck does it mean?鈥� 鈥� Linda Pardy, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

This shortened form of 鈥減ress release鈥� and 鈥減ress conference鈥� is not so impressive.

鈥淣ot only is there no intelligent connection between the word 鈥減resser鈥� and its supposed meaning, this word already has a definition: a person or device that removes wrinkles. Let鈥檚 either say 鈥榩ress conference鈥� or 鈥榩ress release鈥� or come up with something more original, intelligent and interesting!鈥� 鈥� Constance Kelly, West Bloomfield, Michigan

鈥淭his industry buzzword has slipped into usage in news reporting and now that they have started, they can鈥檛 seem to stop using it.鈥� 鈥� Richard W. Varney, Akron, Ohio

Another example of using two words when one will do.

鈥淭his alliterative mutation seems to be replacing the word 鈥榩rice鈥� or 鈥榗ost.鈥� It may be standard business-speak, but must it contaminate everyday speech?鈥� says Kevin Carney of Chicago, who provided an example in the March 19, 2015 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, pg. 1171, which says, 鈥淎lthough the 鈥榩rice point鈥� of effective new drugs 鈥� may initially be out of reach for many patients 鈥︹��

鈥淚t has no 鈥榩oint.鈥� It is just a 鈥榩rice.鈥欌�� 鈥� Guy Michael, Cherry Hill, New Jersey

鈥淎 corporate-academic weasel word,鈥� according to the Urban Dictionary.

鈥淪omewhere along the line, this word became a trendy replacement for 鈥榯hat is a problem.鈥� I just hate it.鈥� 鈥� Sharon Martin, Hagerstown, Maryland

鈥淎nything that the speaker finds vaguely inconvenient or undesirable, such as an opposing political belief or bad traffic. Contrast things that are self-evidently taken to be problematic with, say, actual problems like a hole in the ozone layer or a job loss.鈥� 鈥� Adam Rosen, Asheville, North Carolina

鈥淯sually used in a sentence explaining the 鈥榮ecret鈥� in excruciating public detail. Is this a metaphor for business success based on the fast food industry?鈥� 鈥� John Beckett, Ann Arbor, Michigan

鈥淚t has become too frequent in business discussions. I am tired of it.鈥� 鈥� Bill Evans, Clinton, Mississippi

A word that has expanded from describing someone who may actually have a stake in a situation or problem, now being overused in business to describe customers and others.

鈥淥ften used with 鈥榚ngagement.鈥� If someone is disengaged, they鈥檙e not really a stakeholder in the first place. LSSU, please engage your stakeholders by adding this pretentious jargon to your list. 鈥� Gwendolyn Barlow, Portland, Oregon

Harley Carter of Calgary, Alberta, Canada says he has heard it with another word popular in business-speak, 鈥渟ocialize,鈥� which means to spread an idea around to see what others think of it. 鈥淲e need to socialize this concept with our 鈥榮takeholders.鈥欌��

鈥淒r. Van Helsing should be the only stake holder,鈥� says Jeff Baenen of Minneapolis, Minnesota

So the word that received the most nominations this year was already banished, but today it is being used differently than it was in 1999, when nominators were saying, 鈥淚 am SO down with this list!鈥� Nominations came from across the country.

鈥淐urrently, it is being overused as the first word in the answer to ANY question. For instance, 鈥淗ow did you learn to play the piano?鈥� Answer: 鈥淪o my dad was in a classical music club 鈥︹�� 鈥� Bob Forrest, Tempe Arizona

鈥淭une in to any news channel and you鈥檒l hear it. The word serves no purpose in the sentence and to me is like fingernails on a chalkboard. So, I submit the extra, meaningless, and overused word 鈥榮o.鈥欌�� 鈥� Scott Shackleton, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淧oliticians, especially, are using this word when asked a question and not answering said question. It is used by all parties in Canada鈥檚 Federal election. 鈥� Karen Newton, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

鈥淔requently used to begin a sentence, particularly in response to a question, this tiresome and grammatically incorrect replacement for 鈥淟ike,鈥� or 鈥淯m,鈥� is even more irksome 鈥� It hurts my ears, every single time I hear it! 鈥� Thomas H. Weiss, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

鈥淪o it鈥檚 getting really annoying. So can we please put a stop to this?鈥� 鈥� David G. Simpson, Laurel, Maryland

鈥淚t has become widespread to the point of an epidemic,鈥� said a sickened John from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Vape and vaping are used to describe the act of 鈥榮moking鈥� e-cigarettes (another strange word) since the products emit vapor instead of smoke.

David Ervin of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, says he hopes the word 鈥済oes up in smoke.鈥�

A slower back-pedal?

鈥淚t seems as if every politician who makes a statement has to 鈥榳alk it back,鈥� meaning retract the statement, or explain it in laborious detail to the extent that the statement no longer has any validity or meaning once it has been 鈥榳alked back.鈥欌�� 鈥� Max Hill, Killeen, Texas

One of the top nominees.

鈥淢eaning 鈥榖efore anyone else.鈥� How stupid! Stop calling your boyfriend 鈥榖ae鈥�.鈥� 鈥� Evie Dunagan, Manheim, Pennsylvania

鈥淚t鈥檚 overused. I heard someone refer to their ramen noodles as 鈥榖ae鈥�! If I was putting someone 鈥榖efore anything else,鈥� I would respect them enough to use their name.鈥� 鈥� S. Thoms, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淭he most annoying term of affection to show up in years. Also, the concept 鈥榖efore anybody else,鈥� developed AFTER the word became popular. Reason enough for it to be banned. 鈥� Blan Wright, Sugar Hill, Georgia

鈥淎 dumb, annoying word.鈥� 鈥� James Becker, Holly, Michigan

鈥淚鈥檇 rather be called 鈥榖abe鈥� than 鈥榖ae鈥� any day.鈥� 鈥� Alexsis Outwater, Bronson, Michigan

That鈥檚 just crazy.

Early in 2014, Steve Kaufman of Houston, Texas, could be heard screaming, 鈥淚鈥檝e only heard it twice and already know by the end of the year I鈥檒l want to scream.鈥�

鈥淪hort-form for 鈥榗razy鈥� and sometimes just one 鈥榗ra.鈥� I hear kids (including my 6 yr. old) saying it all the time, e.g. 鈥楾hat snowstorm yesterday was 鈥榗ra-cra.鈥欌�� 鈥� Esther Proulx, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淚鈥檓 sick of hearing myself say this! Must be banned!鈥� 鈥� Roxanne Werly, Traverse City, Michigan

鈥淚t used to have a special significance reserved mainly for fine art and museums. Now everything is curated. Monthly food and clothing subscription boxes claim to be finely 鈥榗urated.鈥� Instead of abusing curated, why don鈥檛 they say what they really mean: 鈥榃e did an online search and posted the first 25 items we found鈥� or the 鈥榗urated selection of items in your box this month are a mix of paid placements and products that have failed to sell elsewhere.鈥欌�� 鈥� Samantha McCormick, Kirkland, Washington

鈥淓xample on the 鈥楴et today: 鈥楪et a curated box of high-end treats and toys (all tailored to the size of your pup) shipped right to your doggie door.鈥� 鈥� I have heard and read the word 鈥榗urated鈥� far too many times this year.鈥� 鈥� Deb, Portland, Oregon

鈥淎 pretentious way of saying 鈥榮elected.鈥� It鈥檚 enormously overused.鈥� 鈥� Kristi Hoerauf, San Francisco, California

鈥淎 shameful euphemism for torture.鈥� 鈥� David Bristol, Byron Center, Michigan

Many nominations over the past several years. Is it a Michigan thing?

鈥淚t鈥檚 ridiculous. Do we call people who like wine 鈥榳inies鈥� or beer lovers 鈥榖eeries鈥�?鈥� 鈥� Randall Chamberlain, Traverse City, Michigan

鈥溾�楽omeone who enjoys food鈥� applies to everyone on Earth. What鈥檚 next? 鈥極h, I鈥檓 an airie; I just love to breathe.鈥� 鈥楥ould we do it at 11, instead? I鈥檓 kind of a sleepie.鈥欌�� 鈥� Andy Poe, Marquette, Michigan

鈥淚 crave good sleep, too, but that does not make me a sleepie. News flash: We ALL like food.鈥� 鈥� Graydeon DeCamp, Elk Rapids, Michigan

鈥淚鈥檝e heard of cooks and chefs, and gourmets and gourmands, but what the heck is a 鈥榝oodie鈥�? A person who likes food? A person who eats food? A person who knows what food is? Sounds like 鈥榝oodie鈥� is a synonym for 鈥榚verybody.鈥� Foodies around the world agree; let鈥檚 banish this term.鈥� 鈥� Steve Szilagyi, Mason, Michigan

鈥淎 horrible word that conflates the real meaning of friendship with usually hidden motivations to get at the other person鈥檚 pockets.鈥� 鈥� Mary Been, Sidnaw, Michigan

鈥淭he word suggests that we develop relationships not for the simple value of the person we call 鈥榝riend,鈥� for the pleasure of being in a community of people and for the simple joys of sharing bonds of affection and common care, but that we instead develop these relationships out of some sort of expectation of a monetary reward.鈥� 鈥� Collette Coullard, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Banished for over-use and mis-use.

鈥淪uddenly things that once would have been called 鈥榯ips鈥� are now being called 鈥榟acks.鈥� It can鈥檛 be because the one word is shorter or easier to say; and the actual accepted meanings of 鈥榟ack鈥� have nothing to do with suggestions for doing tasks better or more efficiently 鈥� quite the opposite, really.鈥� 鈥� Sharla Hulsey, Sac City, Iowa

鈥淭his word is totally overused and misused. What they really mean is 鈥榯ip鈥� or 鈥榮hort cut,鈥� but clearly it is not a 鈥榟ack,鈥� as it involves no legal or ethical impropriety or breach of security.鈥� 鈥� Peter P. Nieckarz Jr., Sylva, North Carolina

鈥淚 just received an e-mail for a book called 鈥楳arriage Hacks.鈥� I have seen articles about life hacks, home improvement hacks, car hacks, furniture hacks, painting hacks, work hacks and pretty much any other hack you can think of. There are probably even hacking hacks.鈥� 鈥� Chellsea Mastroine, Canton, Ohio

鈥淟ife hack, this hack, that hack 鈥� stop with the hacks!鈥� 鈥� Tim Jackson, Crystal Lake, Illinois

A suffering sports suffix.

鈥淧urely with reference to a specific teams鈥� fans, this word needs to go. It鈥檚 the following of a sports franchise, not a group seeking independence, recognition and legitimacy; Not even if it鈥檚 the Cubs.鈥� 鈥� Tim Wilcox, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

鈥淎lthough a devout Wisconsin sports fan, I do not belong to Packer-Nation, Badger-Nation, Phoenix-Nation, or Brewer-Nation. Further, I am not aware of any team or mascot that has the carrying capacity to be a nation.鈥� 鈥� Kelly Frawley, Waunakee, Wisconsin

鈥淣othing more self-aggrandizing than sport team fans referring to themselves as a nation! What鈥檚 next? My team 鈥� Continent, World, Galaxy, Universe!鈥� 鈥� Curt Chambers, Seattle, Washington

鈥淏oth politics and sports teams have overused this n-word to describe their fans or viewers.鈥� 鈥� Ken Hornack, Ormond Beach, Florida

LSSU got a head start on this one last spring, when it burned a snowman named Mr. Polar Vortex during its 44th annual Snowman Burning.

鈥淲asn鈥檛 it called 鈥榳inter鈥� just a few years ago? 鈥� Dawn Farrell, Kanata, Ontario, Canada

鈥淓nough with the over-sensationalized words to describe weather!鈥� 鈥� A. Prescott, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

鈥淚 think most, if not all can agree that we would prefer to avoid the polar vortex in the future, both in name and in embodiment.鈥� 鈥� Christine Brace, Westminster, Maryland

鈥淲hat happened to 鈥榗old snap鈥�? Not descriptive enough?鈥� 鈥� Trevor Fenton, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Kenneth Ross of Glastonbury, Connecticut, and Bob Priddy of Jefferson City, Missouri, were among many who saw this storming in last January.

鈥淟ess than a week into the new year and it鈥檚 the most overused, meaningless word in the media,鈥� said Ross.

Priddy noted that it quickly jumped from the weather forecast to other areas, as he said he knew it would: 鈥淭oday鈥檚 St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorializes about a 鈥榩olitical vortex.鈥欌��

鈥淲hy use two words when one will do? We already have a perfectly good word in 鈥榮kills鈥� (ending with an s, not a z).鈥� 鈥� Chip Lupo, Columbia, South Carolina

鈥淎 skill is a skill 鈥� that is it. Phrases such as 鈥業 have the skill set to do that properly鈥� or anything resembling that phrase, shows the speaker is seriously lacking skills in the art of conversation. Please try this, 鈥業 have the skill 鈥� do you have the skills 鈥� this requires certain skills 鈥� he is very skilled 鈥� that was a skillful maneuver 鈥� See? No need for a skill set.鈥� 鈥� Stephanie Hamm-Wieczkiewicz, Litfield Park, Arizona

Many nominations over the years.

鈥淭he word 鈥榮wag鈥� has become a shapeless, meaningless word used in various forms (such as 鈥榮waggy鈥�) but with no real depth.鈥� 鈥� Bailey Anderson, Washington, Iowa

鈥淲hether it鈥檚 a 鈥榝ree gift鈥� (banished in 1988) or droopy clothing, this word is neither useful nor fancy.鈥� 鈥� Jeff Drake, Saint Albans, West Virginia

鈥淭he word has become so overused that it is not 鈥榮wag鈥� to not use the word 鈥榮wag.鈥欌�� 鈥� Devin, Farwell, Michigan

鈥淏ecause I am tired of hearing swag to describe anything on the face of the planet. By the way, your website is so 鈥榮wag.鈥欌�� 鈥� Alex, Roanoke, Virginia

鈥淚t鈥檚 used all too frequently on news programs, as in, 鈥榃hat is your 鈥榯akeaway鈥� on (a given situation.鈥� 鈥榃hat is our 鈥榯akeaway鈥� on Congress鈥� vote?鈥� 鈥業s there any 鈥榯akeaway鈥� on the recent riots?鈥� I have heard Jon Stewart use it. I鈥檝e heard Charlie Rose use it, as well as countless numbers of news talking heads, usually for all the wrong reasons. For me, a takeaway is a sports term, where one team is controlling the ball (or puck) and the other steals it, or took it away 鈥� a 鈥榯akeaway.鈥� In the U.K., 鈥榯akeaway鈥� food is known as 鈥榯o go鈥� here in the Colonies. 鈥� John Prokop, Oakland, California

New! Improved! Steroidal!

鈥淧lease, does the service at my favorite restaurant have to be 鈥榦n steroids鈥� (even though the meat may be)?鈥� 鈥� Betsy, Los Angeles, California

鈥淐ome on down, we鈥檙e havin鈥� car-ageddon, wine-ageddon, budget-ageddon, a sale-ageddon, flower-ageddon, and so-on-and-so-forth-ageddon! None of these appear in the Book of Revelations.鈥� 鈥� Michael, Haslett, Michigan

Heard often in the world of football.

Why use one word when apparently two are twice as better?

鈥淔acing adversity is working 50 hours a week and still struggling to feed your kids. Facing third and fifteen without your best receiver with tens of millions in the bank, is not.鈥� 鈥� Kyle, White Lake, Michigan

鈥淔rom the world of sports comes the latest example of word inflation. What鈥檚 wrong with the word 鈥榝ans鈥�?鈥� 鈥� Paul, Canton, Michigan

We used to call it the pound symbol. Now it is seeping from the Twittersphere into everyday expression. Nearly all who nominated it found a way to use it in their entries, so we wonder if they鈥檙e really willing to let go. #goodluckwiththat

Used by members of each political party when describing members of the other.

The 30-year anniversary of this hilarious 1983 Michael Keaton movie seems to have released some pent-up emotions. It received nearly as many nominations as 鈥渟elfie鈥� and 鈥渢werk鈥� from coast to coast in the U.S. and Canada, mostly from men.

鈥淚t was a funny movie in its time, but the phrase should refer only to the film, not to men in the real world. It is an insult to the millions of dads who are the primary caregivers for their children. Would we tolerate calling working women Mrs. Dad?鈥� says Pat, of Chicago, Illinois, who suggests we peruse the website captaindad.org, the manly blog of stay-at-home parenting.

鈥淚 am a stay-at-home dad/parent. And if you call me 鈥楳r. Mom,鈥� I will punch you in the throat. 鈥� Zachary, East Providence, Rhode Island

鈥淪ociety is changing and no longer is it odd for a man to take care of his children. Even the Wall Street Journal has declared, 鈥淢r. Mom is dead鈥� (Jan. 22, 2013). I think it is time to banish it.鈥� 鈥� Chad, St. Peters, Missouri

A wandering prefix (see 2010鈥檚 鈥淥bama-鈥�) finally settles down. We thought it might rival 鈥渇iscal cliff,鈥� the most-nominated phrase on the 2013 list, but it didn鈥檛 come close.

Has the honor of receiving the most nominations this year.

鈥淧eople have taken pictures of themselves for almost as long as George Eastman鈥檚 company made film and cameras. Suddenly, with the advent of smartphones, snapping a 鈥榩ic鈥� of one鈥檚 own image has acquired a vastly overused term that seems to pop up on almost every form of social media available to us 鈥� .A self-snapped picture need not have a name all its own beyond 鈥榩hotograph.鈥� It may only be a matter of time before photos of one鈥檚 self and a friend will become 鈥榙ualies.鈥� LSSU has an almost self-imposed duty to carry out this banishment now.鈥� 鈥� Lawrence, Coventry, Connecticut. and Ryan, North Andover, Massachusetts

鈥淣amed 鈥榃ord of the Year鈥� by Oxford Dictionary? Give me a break! Ugh, get rid of it.鈥� 鈥� Bruce, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

鈥淢yselfie disparages the word because it鈥檚 too selfie-serving. But enough about me, how about yourselfie?鈥� 鈥� Lisa, New York, New York

鈥淚t鈥檚 a lame word. It鈥檚 all about me, me, me. Put the smartphone away. Nobody cares about you.鈥� 鈥� David, Lake Mills, Wisconsin

Dayna of Rochester Hills, Michigan, laments how many people observe 鈥淪elfie Sunday鈥� in social media, and Josh of Tucson, Arizona, asks, 鈥淲hy can鈥檛 we have more selflessies?鈥�

This common way of describing an automobile collision has now made it from conversation into the news reports. While the accident鈥檚 layout does, indeed, resemble its namesake cut of beef, we鈥檇 prefer to dispense with the collateral imagery and enjoy a great steak.

鈥淎s in 鈥榗rashed into another car perpendicularly.鈥� Making a verb out of a cut of beef?鈥� 鈥� Kyle, White Lake, Michigan

Another word that made the Oxford Dictionaries Online this year.

Cassidy of Manheim, Pennsylvania said, 鈥淎ll evidence of Miley Cyrus鈥� VMA performance must be deleted,鈥� but it seems that many had just as much fun as Miley did on stage when they submitted their nominations.

鈥淟et鈥檚 just keep with 鈥榮hake yer booty鈥� 鈥� no need to 鈥榯werk鈥� it! Hi ho, hi ho, it鈥檚 away with twerk we must go.鈥� 鈥� Michael, Haslett, Michigan

Bob of Tempe, Arizona says he responds, 鈥淭鈥檞erk,鈥� when asked where he is headed on Monday mornings.

鈥淚 twitch when I hear twerk, for to twerk proves one is a jerk 鈥� or is at least twitching like a jerk. Twerking has brought us to a new low in our lexicon.鈥� 鈥� Lisa, New York, New York

鈥淭ime to dance this one off the stage.鈥� 鈥� Jim, Flagstaff, Arizona

鈥淭he fastest overused word of the 21st century.鈥� 鈥� Sean, New London, New Hampshire

鈥淭he newest dictionary entry should leave just as quickly.鈥� 鈥� Bruce, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

To which we advise, keep all future nominations to fewer than 140 characters.

鈥淭here cannot possibly be any oxygen there.鈥� 鈥� Matt of Toledo, Ohio

鈥淐an we just call them chicken (pieces)?鈥� John McNamara, Lansing, Michigan

鈥淭he expression makes me cringe every time I hear it 鈥� and we鈥檝e been hearing it for several years. I鈥檓 surprised it isn鈥檛 already in your master list. Let鈥檚 emphasize life and what we do during it. It鈥檚 such a grim way of looking at 鈥榳hat I want to do,鈥� and often it is in selfish terms.鈥� Shea Hoffmitz, Hamilton, Ont.

鈥淕etting this phrase on the Banished Word List is on my bucket list!鈥� Frederick Fish, Georgia

鈥淭his blackjack term is now used as a verb in place of 鈥榬epeat鈥� or 鈥榬eaffirm鈥� or 鈥榬eiterate.鈥� Yet, it adds nothing. It鈥檚 not even colorful. Hit me!鈥� Allan Ryan, Boston, Mass.

鈥淭he next time I see or hear the phrase, I am going to double over.鈥� Tony Reed, Holland, Michigan

鈥淥verused within the last year or so in politics.鈥� John Gates, Cumberland, Maine

鈥淏etter nip this in the bud 鈥� it鈥檚 already morphed into 鈥榪uadruple down.鈥欌�� Marc Ponto, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

As one might expect, this phrase received the most nominations this year. If Congress acts to keep the country from tumbling over the cliff, LSSU believes this banishment should get some of the credit.

鈥淯nless you鈥檙e teaching transcendental meditation, Hinduism or Buddhism, please don鈥檛 call yourself a guru just because you think you鈥檙e an expert at something. It鈥檚 silly and pretentious. Let other people call you that, if they must.鈥� Mitch Devine, Rancho Santa Margarita, California

鈥淚t implies supernatural powers 鈥� such as the ability to change the weather or levitate. Most new jobs pay less than the lost jobs to ensure stratospheric CEO compensation and nice returns on investments. I respectfully propose a replacement term that is more accurate 鈥� job depleters.鈥� Mark Dobias, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淯sually used in politics, this typically means that someone or some group is neglecting its responsibilities. This was seized upon during the current administration and is used as a clich茅 by all parties 鈥� Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, Tories, Whigs, Socialists, Communists, Fashionistas 鈥︹�� Mike Cloran, Cincinnati, Ohio

鈥淚鈥檓 surprised it wasn鈥檛 on your 2012 list 鈥� were you just kicking the, um, phrase down the road to 2013?鈥� T. Jones, Ann Arbor, Mich.

鈥淚 thought that perhaps you weren鈥檛 ready to deal with it. You just kicked that can down the road.鈥� Rebecca Martz, Houston, Tex.

鈥淚 would definitely like to kick some cans of the human variety every time I hear politicians use this phrase to describe a circumstance that hasn鈥檛 gone their way.鈥� Christine Tomassini, Livonia, Mich.

鈥淢uch the same as 鈥榩ut on the back burner,鈥� these two phrases still have heat and are still in the road. Kick this latest phrase down the road.鈥� Michael F. Raczko, Swanton, Ohio

鈥淚 can鈥檛 turn on the TV any more without being informed that can-kicking has occurred. What鈥檚 wrong with the word 鈥榩ostpone鈥�?鈥� Kathryn, West Chester, Ohio

鈥淒iabetes is not just Big Pharma鈥檚 business, it鈥檚 their passion! This or that actor is passionate! about some issue somewhere. A DC lobbyist is passionate! about passing (or blocking) some proposed law. My passion! is simple: Banish this phony-baloney word.鈥� George Alexander, Studio City, California

鈥淲hat was once a polite warning has turned into a declarative statement: I have just spoiled something for you. When news outlets print articles with headlines such as, 鈥楬uge upset in men鈥檚 Olympic swimming,鈥� with a diminutive 鈥榮poiler alert鈥� on the link to the rest of the article, I think it鈥檚 safe to say we鈥檝e forgotten the meaning of the word 鈥榓lert.鈥欌�� Afton, Portland, Oregon.

鈥淯sed as an obnoxious way to show one has trivial information and is about to use it, no matter what.鈥� Joseph Joly, Fremont, California

鈥淚t鈥檚 food. It鈥檚 either healthful or it鈥檚 not. There is no 鈥榮uper鈥� involved.鈥� Jason Hansen, Frederic, Michigan

A trend is something temporary, thank goodness; however, it is not a verb, and I鈥檓 tired of news stations telling me what trite 鈥榥ews鈥� is 鈥榯rending.鈥欌�� Kyle Melton, White Lake, Michigan

鈥淪tands for 鈥榊ou Only Live Once鈥� and used by wannabe Twitter philosophers who think they鈥檝e uncovered a deep secret of life. Also used as an excuse to do really stupid things, such as streaking at a baseball game with YOLO printed on one鈥檚 chest. I only live once, so I鈥檇 prefer to be able to do it without ever seeing YOLO again.鈥� Brendan Cotter, Grosse Pte. Park, Michigan

鈥淯sed by teens everywhere to describe an action that is risky or unconventional, yet acceptable because 鈥榶ou only live once.鈥� Who lives more than once?鈥� P.P., Los Angeles, California

鈥淛ust gives people, especially teens, a reason to do stupid things. I find it annoying and I鈥檓 pretty sure I鈥檓 not alone here.鈥� Daniel, Hickory, North Carolina

鈥淥nly a real yoyo would use the term 鈥榶olo.鈥欌�� Sandra McGlew, White Lake, Michigan

Received the most nominations. LSSU was surprised at the number of nominations this year for 鈥渁mazing鈥� and surprised to find that it hadn鈥檛 been included on the list in the past. Many nominators mentioned over-use on television when they sent their entries, mentioning 鈥渞eality鈥� TV, Martha Stewart and Anderson Cooper. It seemed to bother people everywhere, as nominations were sent from around the US and Canada and some from overseas, including Israel, England and Scotland. A Facebook page 鈥� 鈥淥veruse of the Word Amazing鈥� 鈥� threatened to change its title to 鈥淥ccupy LSSU鈥� if 鈥榓mazing鈥� escaped banishment this year 鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing that you haven鈥檛 added that word to your list over the years. Totally, absolutely, really amazing. Not quite astounding, but still amazing.鈥� 鈥撎�Charles Attardi, Astoria, New York

鈥淎lthough I am extremely happy to no longer hear the word 鈥榓wesome鈥� used incorrectly and way too often, it appears to me it is quickly being replaced with 鈥榓mazing.鈥� Pay attention and you will no doubt be amazingly surprised to find that I am right.鈥� 鈥撎�Gregory Scott, Palm Springs, California

鈥淧eople use 鈥榓mazing鈥� for anything that is nice or heartwarming. In other words, for things that are not amazing.鈥� 鈥�听Gitel Hesselberg, Haifa, Israel

鈥淓very talk show uses this word at least two times every five minutes. Hair is not 鈥榓mazing.鈥� Shoes are not 鈥榓mazing.鈥� There are any number of adjectives that are far more descriptive. I saw Martha Stewart use the word 鈥榓mazing鈥� six times in the first five minutes of her television show. Help!鈥� 鈥撎�Martha Waszak, Lansing, Michigan

鈥淏anish it for blatant overuse and incorrect use 鈥� to stop my head from exploding.鈥� 鈥撎�Paul Crutchfield, Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom

鈥淭he word which once aptly described the process of birth is now used to describe such trivial things as toast, or the color of a s-hirt.鈥� 鈥撎�JP, Comox, British Columbia, Canada

鈥淎nderson Cooper used it three times recently in the opening 45 seconds of his program. My teeth grate, my hackles rise and even my dog is getting annoyed at this senseless overuse. I don鈥檛 even like 鈥楢mazing Grace鈥� anymore. 鈥撎�Sarah Howley, Kalamazoo, Michigan

鈥淭he word has been overused to describe things only slightly better than mundane. I blame Martha Stewart because to her, EVERYTHING is amazing! It has lost its 鈥榳ow factor鈥� and has reached 鈥榚pic鈥� proportions of use. It鈥檚 gone 鈥榲iral,鈥� I say! 鈥業鈥檓 just sayin鈥�!鈥� 鈥撎�Alyce-Mae Alexander, Maitland, Florida

Although nominated by many over the years, this phrase came in as a close second to 鈥渁mazing鈥� this year.

鈥淭his is a phrase we need to finally give birth to, then send on its way.鈥� 鈥撎�Mary Sturgeon, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

鈥淚鈥檓 tired of a pregnancy being reduced to a celebrity accessory. Or worse, when less-than-six-pack abs are suspected of being one.鈥� 鈥�听Afton, Portland, Oregon

I am so sick of that phrase! It makes pregnancy sound like some fun and in-style thing to do, not a serious choice made by (at the very least) the woman carrying the child.鈥� 鈥撎�Susan, Takoma Park, Maryland

鈥淲hy can鈥檛 we just use the old tried-and-true 鈥榩regnant?鈥� I never heard anyone complain about that description.鈥� 鈥撎�Eric, Poca, West Virginia

Sometimes exchanged with 鈥減ushback鈥� to mean resistance.

鈥溾�楤lowback鈥� is used by corporate (types) to mean 鈥榬eaction,鈥� when the word 鈥榬eaction鈥� would have been more than sufficient. Example: 鈥業f we send out the press release, how should we handle the blowback from the community?鈥欌�� 鈥撎�John, Los Angeles, California

鈥淣o need to make a gigantic (idiot) out of yourself trying to find an enormous word for 鈥榖ig.鈥� 鈥撎�Coulombe, Sanford, Florida

鈥淭his combination of gigantic and enormous makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck every time I hear it. Each utterance reminds me of the high school drop-out that first used this offensive word in my presence. 鈥撎�Gina Bua, Vancouver, Washington

This word is just a made-up combination of two words. Either word is sufficient, but the combination just sounds ridiculous. 鈥撎�Jason, Andover, Maine

鈥淥verused by television home design and home buying shows, has trickled down to sitcoms, commercials, and now has to be endured during interactions with real estate people, neighbors and co-workers.听鈥� Jim, Flagstaff, Arizona

鈥業t is not just overused, it is offensive to we males who do not wish to hunker (another awful word, often misused) down in a room filled with stuffed animal heads, an unnecessarily large flat-screen TV and Hooters memorabilia. Not every man wants a recliner the size of a 1941 Packard that has a cooler in each arm and a holster for the remote. So please, assign 鈥榤an cave鈥� to the lexicographic scrap heap where it so rightly belongs.鈥� 鈥撎�David Hollis, Hubbardsville, New York

鈥溾�極ccupy Wall Street鈥� grew to become Occupy 鈥榠nsert name of your city here鈥� all over the country. It should be banished because of the media overuse and now people use it all the time, i.e. 鈥業 guess we will occupy your office and have the meeting there.鈥� 鈥榃e are headed to Grandma鈥檚 house 鈥� Occupy Thanksgiving is under way.鈥澨�鈥� Bill Drewes, Rochester Hills, Michigan

鈥淚t has been overused and abused even to promote Black Friday shopping.鈥� 鈥撎�Grant Barnett, Palmdale, California

鈥淲hy couldn鈥檛 they have used a more palatable kind, like pecan or peach?鈥澨�舛膿Bob Forrest, Tempe, Arizona

鈥淐an a human being truly be a parent to a different species? Do pet 鈥榦wners鈥� not love their pets as much pet 鈥榩arents鈥� do? Are we equating pet ownership with slave holding? This cloyingly correct term is capable of raising my blood sugar.听Lynn Ouellette, Buffalo, New York

鈥淯sually used by a politician who wants other people to share in the sacrifice so he/she doesn鈥檛 have to.鈥澨�Scott Urbanowski, Kentwood, Michigan

鈥淯sually followed by 鈥榝or your cooperation,鈥� this is a condescending and challenging way to say, 鈥楽ince I already thanked you, you have to do this.鈥欌�� 鈥撎�Mike Cloran, Cincinnati, Ohio

鈥淭he phrase is often used to justify bad trends in society and to convince people that they are powerless to slow or to reverse those trends. This serves to reduce participation in the political process and to foster cynicism about the ability of government to improve people鈥檚 lives. Sometimes the phrase is applied to the erosion of civil liberties. More often, it is used to describe the sorry state of the U.S. economy. Often hosts on TV news channels use the phrase shortly before introducing some self-help guru who gives glib advice to the unemployed and other people having financial difficulties. 鈥撎�Robert Brown, Raleigh, North Carolina

鈥淲hy? Why? Why? This one seems to be the flavor du jour for football analysts. What鈥檚 wrong with 鈥榯rick鈥� or 鈥榯rickery?鈥� No doubt, next year鈥檚 model will be 鈥榯rickerationism.鈥欌�� 鈥撎�Gene Bering, Seminole, Texas

A political phrase worn wherever you look 鈥� to the left (President Obama) or the right (Newt Gingrich).

鈥淥n its very face, it鈥檚 an empty, meaningless phrase. It basically says that anyone who opposes anything meant to 鈥榳in the future鈥� must want to 鈥榣ose the future,鈥� which is highly unlikely. But, hey, you may already be a winner.鈥�听鈥撎�Jim Eisenmann, Madison, Wisconsin

鈥淎ll this means is a point at which you understand something or something becomes clearer. Why can鈥檛 you just say that?鈥� 鈥� Audrey Mayo, Killeen, Texas

鈥淭his should be on the list of words that don鈥檛 need to exist because a perfectly good word has been used for years. In this case, the word is 鈥榟istory,鈥� or, for those who must be weaned, 鈥榮tory.鈥欌�� 鈥� Jeff Williams, Sherwood, Arkansas

鈥淭hese chicks call each other BFF (Best Friends Forever) and it lasts about 10 minutes. Now there鈥檚 BFFA (Best Friends For Awhile), which makes more sense.鈥� 鈥� Kate Rabe Forgach, Ft. Collins, Colorado

More than one nominator says the use of 鈥榚pic鈥� has become an epic annoyance.

鈥淐ecil B. DeMille movies are epic. Internet fallouts and opinions delivered in caps-lock are not. 鈥楨pic fail,鈥� 鈥榚pic win鈥�, 鈥榚pic (noun)鈥� 鈥� it doesn鈥檛 matter; it needs to be banished until people recognize that echoing trite, hyperbolic Internet phrases in an effort to look witty or intelligent actually achieves the opposite.鈥� 鈥� Kim U., Des Moines, Iowa

鈥淥ver-use of the word 鈥榚pic鈥� has reached epic proportions. 鈥� Tim Blaney, Snoqualmie, Washington

鈥淎nything that this word describes in popular over-usage is rarely ever 鈥榚pic鈥� in the traditional sense of being heroic, majestic, or just plain awe-inspiring.鈥� 鈥� Mel F., Dallas, Texas

鈥淪tandards for using 鈥榚pic鈥� are so low, even 鈥榓wesome鈥� is embarrassed.鈥� 鈥� Mike of Kettering, Ohio

鈥淚鈥檓 sure that when the history books are written or updated and stories have been passed through the generations, the epic powder on the slopes during your last ski trip or your participation in last night鈥檚 epic flash mob will probably not be included. This may be the root of this epic problem, but it seems as if during the past two years, any idea that was not successful was considered an 鈥榚pic-fail.鈥� This includes the PowerPoint presentation you tried to give during this morning鈥檚 meeting, but couldn鈥檛 because of technical problems. Also, the ice storm of 鈥榚pic proportions鈥� that is blanketing the east coast this winter sure looks a lot like the storm that happened last winter.鈥� 鈥� DV, Seattle, Washington

鈥淔acebook is a great, addicting website. Google is a great search engine. However, their use as verbs causes some deep problems. As bad as they are, the trend can only get worse, i.e. 鈥業鈥檓 going to Twitter a few people, then Yahoo the movie listings and maybe Amazon a book or two.鈥� 鈥� Jordan of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

One nominator says, 鈥渨hat originally may have been a term for a stockbroker鈥檚 default is now abused by today鈥檚 youth as virtually any kind of 鈥榝ailure.鈥� Whether it is someone tripping, a car accident, a costumed character scaring the living daylights out a kid, or just a poor choice in fashion, these people drive me crazy thinking that anything that is a mistake is a 鈥榝ail.鈥� They fail proper language!鈥�

鈥淔ail is not a noun. It is not an adjective. It is a verb. If this word is not banned, then this entire word banishment system is full of FAIL. (Now doesn鈥檛 that just sound silly?)鈥� 鈥� Daniel of Carrollton, Georgia

鈥淲hen FAILblog.org went up, it was a funny way to view videos of unfortunate people in unfortunate situations. The word fail is now used by people, very often just to tease others, when they 鈥楩AIL.鈥� Any time you screw up in life 鈥� a trip up the stairs, a bump into a wall, or a Freudian slip, you get that word thrown in your face.鈥� 鈥� Tyler Lynch, Washington, Iowa

鈥淢isused. Overused. Used with complete disregard to the 鈥榚pic鈥� weight of the word. Silence obnoxious reality TV personalities and sullen, anti-establishment teenagers everywhere by banishing this word.鈥� 鈥� Natalie of Burlington, Ontario, Canada

鈥淚t has taken over blogs, photo captions, 鈥榮tatus鈥� comments. Anytime someone does something less than perfect, we have to read 鈥楩AIL!鈥� The word has failed us all.鈥� 鈥� Aaron Yunker, Ishpeming, Michigan

鈥溾�楢 phrase used to defuse any ill feelings caused by a preceded remark,鈥� according to the Urban Dictionary. Do we really need a qualifier at the end of every sentence? People feel uncomfortable with a comment that was made and then 鈥榡ust sayin鈥� comes rolling off the tongue? It really doesn鈥檛 change what was said, I鈥檓 just sayin鈥�.鈥� 鈥� Becky of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淚鈥檓 just sayin鈥欌�︹�橧鈥檓 not sayin鈥濃�欌�� Actually, you ARE saying 鈥� A watered-down version of what I just said or intended to say 鈥� .SAY what you are saying. DON鈥橳 SAY what you aren鈥檛 saying.鈥�- Julio Appling, Vancouver, Washington

鈥淥bviously you are saying it 鈥� you just said it!鈥� 鈥� Catherine Wilson, Granger, Indiana

鈥淎nd we would never have known if you hadn鈥檛 told us.鈥� 鈥� Bob Forrest, Tempe, Arizona

鈥淲hen a 24-hour news network had the misguided notion to brand this phrase as a commentary segment called, 鈥楯ust sayin鈥�, I thought I was going to retch.鈥�-听 Casey Conroy, Pleasant Hill, California

鈥淚t鈥檚 an absurdity followed by a redundancy. First, things are full or they鈥檙e not; there is no fullest. Second, 鈥榣ive life鈥� is redundant. Finally, the expression is nauseatingly overused. What鈥檚 wrong with enjoying life fully or completely? The phrase makes me gag. I鈥檓 surprised it hasn鈥檛 appeared on the list before.鈥� 鈥� Sylvia Hall, Williamsport, Pennsylvania

鈥淯nless you are referring to a scientific study of Ursus arctos horribilis , this analogy of right-wing female politicians should rest in peace.鈥� 鈥� Mark Carlson, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淎 stupid phrase when directed at men. Even more stupid when directed at a woman, as in 鈥楢lexis, you need to man up and join that Pilates class!鈥欌�� 鈥� Sherry Edwards, Clarkston, Michigan

鈥淎nother case of 鈥榲erbing鈥� a noun and ending with a preposition that goes nowhere. Not only that, the phrase is insulting, especially when voiced by a female, who鈥檇 never think to say, 鈥榃oman up!鈥欌�� 鈥� Aunt Shecky, East Greenbush, New York

鈥淐an a woman 鈥榤an-up,鈥� or would she be expected to 鈥榳oman-up?鈥欌�� 鈥� Jay Leslie, Portland, Maine

鈥淣ot just overused (a 2010 top word according to the Global Language Monitor) but bullying and sexist.鈥� 鈥� Christopher K. Philippo, Glenmont, New York

鈥淲e had to put up with 鈥榣awyer up.鈥� Now 鈥榤an up,鈥� too? A chest-thumping cultural regression fit for frat boys stacking beer glasses.鈥� 鈥� Craig Chalquist Ph.D., Walnut Creek, California

鈥淎dding this word to the English language simply because a part-time politician lacks a spell checker on her cell phone is an action that needs to be repudiated.鈥� 鈥� Dale Humphreys, Muskegon, Michigan

Kuahmel Allah of Los Angeles, California听wants to banish what he called 鈥楽arah Palin-isms鈥�: 鈥淟et鈥檚 鈥榬efudiate鈥� them on the double!鈥�

鈥淭hese politicians in Congress say 鈥榯he American People鈥� as part of what seems like every statement they make! I see that others have noticed it, too, as various websites abound, including an entry on Wikipedia.鈥� 鈥� Paul M. Girouard, St. Louis, Missouri

鈥淣o one in Washington can pontificate for more than two sentences without using it. Beyond overuse, these people imply that 鈥榯he American people鈥� want/expect/demand all the same things. They don鈥檛.鈥� 鈥� Dick Hilker, Loveland, Colorado

鈥淎ren鈥檛 all Americans people? Every political speech refers to the 鈥楢merican鈥� people as if simply saying 鈥楢mericans鈥� (or 鈥榩eople鈥�) is not enough.鈥� 鈥� Deb Faust, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淥ften used to describe the spreading of items on the Internet i.e. 鈥楾he video went viral.鈥� It is overused. I have no objection to this word鈥檚 use as a way to differentiate a (viral) illness from bacterial.鈥� 鈥� Jim Cance, Plainwell, Michigan

鈥淭his linguistic disease of a term must be quarantined.鈥� 鈥� Kuahmel Allah, Los Angeles, California

鈥淓vents, photographs, written pieces and even occasional videos that attracted a great deal of attention once were simply highly publicized, repeated in news broadcasts, and talked about for a few days. Now, however, it is no longer enough to give such offerings their 15 minutes of fame, but they must be declared to 鈥榞o viral.鈥� As a result, any mindless stunt or vapid bit of writing is sent by its creators whirling around the Internet and, once whirled, its creators declare it (trumpets here) 鈥榲iral!鈥� Enough already! If anything is to be declared worthy enough to 鈥榞o viral,鈥� clearly it should be the LSSU Banished Words list for 2011!鈥� 鈥� Lawrence Mickel, Coventry,听Connecticut

鈥淚 knew it was time when the 2010 list of banished words appeared in Time magazine鈥檚, 鈥楾hat Viral Thing鈥� column.鈥� 鈥� Dave Schaefer, Glenview, Illinois

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 mind much when 鈥榲iral鈥� came to mean an under-handed tactic by advertising companies to make their ads look like pop culture. However, now anything that becomes popular on YouTube is suddenly 鈥榲iral.鈥� I just don鈥檛 get it.鈥� 鈥� Kevin Wood, Wallacetown, Ontario, Canada

鈥淓very time I see a viral video on CNN or am asked to 鈥楲et鈥檚 go viral with this鈥� in another lame e-mail forwarded message, it makes me sick.鈥� 鈥� Lian Schmidt, Bandon, Oregon

鈥淭his buzzword is served up with a heaping of clich茅 factor and a side order of irritation. But the lemmings from cable-TV cooking, whatever design and fashion shows keep dishing it out. I miss the old days when 鈥榝actor鈥� was only on the math-and-science menu.鈥� 鈥� Dan Muldoon, Omaha, Nebraska

鈥淒one-to-death phrase to point out something with a somewhat significantly appealing appearance.鈥� 鈥� Ann Pepper, Knoxville,听Tennessee

鈥淢ust we b sbjct to yt another abrv? Why does the English language have to fit on a two-inch screen? I hate the sound of it. I think I鈥檒l listen to a symph on the rad.鈥� 鈥� Edward R. Bolt, Grand Rapids, Michigan

鈥淚s there an 鈥榓pp鈥� for making this annoying word go away? Why can鈥檛 we just call them 鈥榩rograms鈥� again?鈥� 鈥� Kuahmel Allah, Los Angeles, California

鈥淗ave we really reached the point where being friends has to be described in a pseudo-romantic context? Just stop it already!鈥� 鈥� Greg Zagorski, Washington, D.C.

鈥淚 am sick of combined words the media creates to make them sound catchier. Frenemies? Bromances? Blogorrhea? I鈥檓 going to scream!鈥� 鈥� Kaylynn, Alberta, Canada

Nominated for several years. We couldn鈥檛 chill about it anymore.

鈥淗eard everywhere from MTV to ESPN to CNN. A bothersome term that seeks to combine chillin鈥� with relaxin鈥� makes me want to be 鈥榓xin鈥� this word.鈥� 鈥� Tammy, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淎 made-up word used by annoying Gen-Yers.鈥� 鈥� Chris Jensen, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

鈥淗orrifying overuse, even in face-to-face conversation 鈥� It should receive bonus points for its ability to exhort the opposite reaction from the receiver.鈥� 鈥� Bret Bledsoe, Cincinnati, Ohio

Long used by the media as a metaphor for positions of high authority, including 鈥渂aseball czar鈥� Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, appointed by team owners as commissioner-for-life in 1919. U.S. president Woodrow Wilson had an 鈥渋ndustry czar鈥� during World War I. Lesser-known 鈥渃zar鈥� roles in government during the last 100 years include: censorship, housing and oil czars in 1941; rubber czar in 1942; patronage czar (1945); clean-up (1952); missile (1954); inflation (1971); e-commerce (1998); bioethics, faith-based and reading czars (2001); bird flu (2004); democracy (2005); abstinence and birth control czars (2006); and weatherization czar (2008).

George W. Bush appointed 47 people to 35 鈥渃zar鈥� jobs; Pres. Obama, eight appointments to 38 positions.

鈥淔irst it was a 鈥榙rug czar鈥� [banished in 1990]. This year gave us a 鈥榗ar czar.鈥� What鈥檚 next? A 鈥榖anished words czar鈥�?鈥� 鈥� Michael F. Raczko, Swanton, Ohio

鈥淲e have appointed a czar of such-and-such; clearly that鈥檚 better than a 鈥榣eader,鈥� 鈥榗oordinator鈥� or 鈥榙irector鈥�! 鈥� Derek Lawrence, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

鈥淭he president has been handing these 鈥渃zar鈥� positions out like party favors.鈥� 鈥� Scott Lassiter, Houston, Texas

Came into popularity through social networking websites. You add someone to your network by 鈥渇riending鈥� them, or remove them by 鈥渦nfriending鈥� them.

鈥淚鈥檓 certainly as much of a Facebook addict as the next person, but I鈥檓 getting a little weary of 鈥榝riending鈥� people and being 鈥榝riended鈥� by them. My daughter talks of 鈥榮ending friend requests,鈥� which doesn鈥檛 rankle me as much, so maybe we should all take her lead.鈥� 鈥� John Wetterholt, Crystal Lake, Illinois

鈥淏efriend鈥� is much more pleasant to the human ear and a perfectly useful word in the dictionary.鈥� 鈥� Kevin K., Morris, Oklahoma

Nominations concerning the economy started rolling in as the 2009 list was being put together last year, i.e. 鈥渂ailout.鈥� They kept coming this year, in these trouble economic times. 鈥� South Park 鈥� warned us about what would happen if we angered The Economy.

鈥淥verused and redundant. Aren鈥檛 ALL times 鈥榯hese economic times鈥�?鈥� 鈥� Barb Stutesman, Three Rivers, Michigan

鈥淚n this economy, we can鈥檛 afford to be wastefuL 鈥� In this economy, we all need some security 鈥� In this economy, frogs could start falling from the sky 鈥� In this economy, blah blah blah 鈥� Overused for everything from trying to market products as inexpensive to simply explaining any and all behavior during the recession.鈥� 鈥� Mark, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

鈥淲hen someone prefaces a statement with 鈥榠n this economic climate,鈥� its starts to sound like a sales pitch, or just an excuse on which to blame every problem. And if a letter or e-mail message from your employer starts with this phrase, usually it means you鈥檙e not getting a raise this year.鈥� 鈥� Dominic, Seattle, Washington

The LSSU Word Banishment Committee held out hope that folks would want to Obama-ban Obama-structions, but were surprised that no one Obama-nominated any, such as these compiled by the Oxford Dictionary in 2009, Obamanomics, Obamanation, Obamafication, Obamacare, Obamalicious, Obamaland 鈥� We say: Obamanough already.

Sending sexually explicit pictures and text messages through the cell phone.

鈥淎ny dangerous new trend that also happens to have a clever mash-up of words, involves teens, and gets television talk show hosts interested must be banished.鈥� 鈥� Ishmael Daro, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

鈥淎pparently, the generally accepted definition of this phrase is to imply that a project has been completely designed and all that is left to do is to implement it 鈥� however, when something dies, it, too, is shovel-ready for burial and so I get confused about the meaning. I would suggest that we just say the project is ready to implement.鈥� 鈥� Jerry Redington, Keosauqua, Iowa

鈥淎 relatively new term already overused by media and politicians. Bury this term, please.鈥� 鈥� Pat Batcheller, Southgate, Michigan

鈥淒o I really need a reason? Well, if so how about this: I just saw it in tandem with 鈥榗yber-ready鈥� and nearly choked on my coffee. It鈥檚 starting the 鈥�-ready鈥� jargon. Makes me 鈥榲acation-ready.鈥欌�� 鈥� Karen Hill, Ann Arbor, Michigan

鈥淪tick a shovel in it. It鈥檚 done.鈥� 鈥� Joe Grimm, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

鈥淓verything in the news is about the stimulus packages 鈥� it is no longer a grant, it鈥檚 stimulus money, stimulus checks, etc. I think it is just being overused.鈥� 鈥� Teri Heikkila, Rudyard, Michigan

鈥淥verused by companies to advertise a promotion.鈥� 鈥� David Willis, Houston, Texas

鈥淲hat next, can I go down to the local bar and down a few drinks and call it a stimulus package?鈥� 鈥� Richard Brown, Portland, Oregon

What might otherwise be known as 鈥榓 lesson.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 a condescending substitute for 鈥榦pportunity to make a point,鈥欌�� says Eric Rosenquist of College Station, Texas

鈥淚f everything鈥檚 a 鈥榯eachable moment,鈥� we should all have teaching credentials, including the guy at the bar who likes to fight after one shot too many.鈥� 鈥� Kuahmel Allah, Los Angeles, California

鈥淭his phrase is used to describe everything from potty-training to politics. It鈥檚 time to vote it out!鈥� 鈥� Jodi, Youngstown, Ohio

鈥淛ust for the record, nothing鈥檚 too big to fail unless the government lets it.鈥� 鈥� Claire Shefchik, Brooklyn, New York

鈥淒oes such a thing exist? We鈥檒l never know if a company is too big to fail, unless somehow it does fail, and then it will no longer be too big to fail. Make it stop!鈥� 鈥� Holli, Raleigh, North Carolina

We think we鈥檙e going to be sick.

鈥淲hatever happened to simply 鈥榖ad stocks,鈥� 鈥榙ebts,鈥� or 鈥榣oans鈥�?鈥� 鈥� Monty Heidenreich, 海角社区wood, Illinois

鈥淲hat a wretched term!鈥� 鈥� Lee Freedman, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淚 can see clearly that this is the new buzzword for the year.鈥� 鈥� Joann Eschenburg, Clinton Twp., Michigan

鈥淚n the lexicon of the political arena, this word is supposed to mean obvious or easily understood. In reality, political transparency is more invisible than obvious!鈥� 鈥� Deb Larson, Bellaire, Michigan

鈥淚 just don鈥檛 see it.鈥� 鈥� Joe Grimm, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

And all of its variations 鈥� tweetaholic, retweet, twitterhea, twitterature, twittersphere 鈥�

鈥淧eople tweet and retweet and I just heard the word 鈥榯weet鈥� so many times it lost all meaning.鈥� 鈥� Ricardo, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico

Mikhail Swift of Hillman, Michigan听says the tweeting is 鈥減ointless 鈥� yet has somehow managed to take the nation by storm. I鈥檓 tired of hearing about celebrity X鈥檚 new tweet, and how great of a tweeter he or she is.鈥�

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know a single non-celebrity who actually uses it,鈥� says Alex Thompson of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Jay Brazier of Williamston, Michigan听says she supposes that tweeters might be 鈥渢wits.鈥�

Supposed to resemble a heart, or stand for the word 鈥榣ove.鈥� Used when sending those important text messages to loved ones. 鈥淛ust say the word instead of making me turn my head sideways and wondering what 鈥榣ess than three鈥� means.鈥� 鈥� Andrea Estrada, Chicago, Illinois

鈥淯se of emergency funds to remove toxic assets from banks鈥� balance sheets is not a bailout. When your cousin calls you from jail in the middle of the night, he wants a bailout.鈥� 鈥� Ben Green, State College, Pennsylvania

鈥淚s it a loan? Is it a purchase of assets by the government? Is it a gift made by the taxpayers?鈥� 鈥� Dave Gill, Traverse City, Michigan

鈥淣ow it seems as though every sector of the economy wants a bailout. Unfortunately, ordinary workers can鈥檛 qualify.鈥� 鈥� Tony, McLeansville, North Carolina

鈥淒on鈥檛 we love how Capitol Hill will bailout Wall Street, but not Main Street鈥�? 鈥� Derrick Chamberlain, Midland, Michigan

鈥淚t is now considered fashionable for everyone, tree hugger or lumberjack alike, to pay money to questionable companies to 鈥榦ffset鈥� their own 鈥榗arbon footprint.鈥� What a scam! Get rid of it immediately!鈥�-听 Ginger Hunt, London, England

Mike of Chicago, Illinois says that when he hears the phrase 鈥榗arbon footprint,鈥� 鈥淚 envision microscopic impressions on the surface of the earth where an atom of carbon forgot to wear its shoes.鈥�

Christy Loop of Woodbridge, Virginia, says that 鈥榣eaving a carbon footprint鈥� has become the new 鈥榩olitically incorrect.鈥� 鈥淗ow can we not, in one way or another, affect our natural environment?鈥�

鈥淓very time the news can鈥檛 find something intelligent to report, they start on a 鈥榙esperate search鈥� for someone, somewhere.鈥� 鈥� Rick A. Hyatt, Saratoga, Wyoming

鈥淪kateboard English is not an appropriate way to refer to the spouse of a high-ranking public official.鈥� 鈥� Paul Ruschmann, Canton, Michigan

鈥淚t鈥檚 game OVER for this clich茅, which gets overused in the news media, political arenas and in business.鈥� 鈥� Cynthia, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

]The ubiquitous 鈥楪reen鈥� and all of its variables, such as 鈥榞oing green,鈥� 鈥榖uilding green,鈥� 鈥榞reening,鈥� 鈥榞reen technology,鈥� 鈥榞reen solutions鈥� and more, drew the most attention from those who sent in nominations this year.

鈥淭his phrase makes me go green every time I hear it.鈥� 鈥� Danielle Brunin, Lawrence, Kansas

鈥淚鈥檓 all for being environmentally responsible, but this 鈥榞reen鈥� needs to be nipped in the bud.鈥� 鈥� Valerie Gilson, Gales Ferry,听Connecticut

鈥淐ompanies are less 鈥榞reen鈥� than ever, advertising the fact they are 鈥榞reen.鈥� Is anyone buying this nonsense?鈥� 鈥� Mark Etchason, Denver, Colorado

鈥淚f something is good for the environment, just say so. As Kermit would say, 鈥業t isn鈥檛 easy being green.鈥欌�� 鈥� Kevin Sherlock, Hiawatha, Iowa

鈥淚f I see one more corporation declare itself 鈥榞reen,鈥� I鈥檓 going to start burning tires in my backyard.鈥� 鈥� Ed Hardiman, Bristow, Virginia

鈥淭his spawned 鈥榞reen solutions,鈥� 鈥榞reen technology,鈥� and the horrible use of the word as a verb, as in, 鈥榃e really need to think about greening our office.鈥欌�� 鈥� Mike McDermott, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Overused, especially among entertainers and in entertainment news, according to Robyn Yates of Dallas, Texas, who says that 鈥渆very actor, actress and entertainment magazine show overuses this.鈥� One of the most-nominated words of the year.

鈥淓veryone and everything cannot be 鈥榠conic.鈥� Can鈥檛 we switch to 鈥榣egendary鈥� or 鈥榝amous for鈥�? In our entertainment-driven culture, it seems everyone in show business is 鈥榠conic鈥� for some reason or another. 鈥�- John Flood, Bray, Wicklow, Ireland

鈥淚t鈥檚 becoming the new 鈥榓wesome鈥� 鈥� overused to the point where everything from a fast-food restaurant chain to celebrities is 鈥榠conic.鈥欌�� 鈥� Jodi Gill, New Berlin, Wisconsin

鈥淛ust because a writer recognizes something does not make it an icon (a visual symbol or representation which inspires worship or veneration) or iconic. It just means that the writer has seen it before.鈥� 鈥� Brian Murphy, Fairfield,听Connecticut

鈥淓specially on the Internet, many people seem to think they can make any boring name sound more attractive just by adding the word 鈥榤onkey鈥� to it. Do a search to find the latest. It is no longer funny.鈥� 鈥� Rogier Landman, Somerville, Massachusetts

Nominated by Kathleen Brosemer of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, for 鈥済eneral overuse and meaninglessness. When is it not 鈥榯hat time of year again?鈥� From Valentine鈥檚 sales to year-end charity letters, invitations to summer picnics and Christmas parties, it鈥檚 鈥榯hat time鈥� of year again. Just get to the point of the solicitation, invitation, and newsletter and cut out six useless and annoying words.鈥�

鈥淭he constant repetition of this word for months before the US election diluted whatever meaning it previously had. Even the comic offshoot 鈥榤avericky鈥� was terribly overused. A minimum five-year banishment of both words is suggested so they will not be available during the next federal election.鈥� 鈥� Matthew Mattila, Green Bay, Wisconsin

鈥淵ou know it鈥檚 time to banish this word when even the Maverick family, who descended from the rancher who inspired the term, says it鈥檚 being misused.鈥� 鈥� Scott Urbanowski, Kentwood, Michigan

鈥淚鈥檓 a maverick, he鈥檚 a maverick, wouldn鈥檛 you like to be a maverick, too?鈥� 鈥� Michael Burke, Silver Spring, Maryland

鈥淚 wish that the phrase was used not so much,鈥� says Tom Benson of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who notes that it is used widely in news media, especially in sports, i.e. 鈥楾he Gophers have a shot at the playoffs; the Chipmunks, not so much.鈥�

鈥淐asual language usage is acceptable. 鈥楴ot so much?鈥� Not so much.鈥� 鈥� David Hollis, Hubbardsville, New York.

鈥淒o I like concise writing? Yes. Do I like verbose clich茅s? Not so much.鈥� David W. Downing, St. Paul, Minnesota听鈥淎 favorite of snarky critics and bloggers.鈥� Jeff Baenen, Minneapolis,听Minnesota

鈥淥ccurrences of this word are going up with gas prices. 鈥榁acation鈥� does not mean 鈥榯ravel,鈥� nor does travel always involve vacation. Let鈥檚 send this word on a slow boat to nowhere.鈥� 鈥� Dan Muldoon, Omaha, Nebraska

鈥淭he cost of petrol forces many families to curtail their summer voyages and a new word has sprung, idiotic and rootless 鈥︹�� 鈥� Michele Mooney, Los Angeles, California

鈥淲hen this little dyad first came into use at the start of the financial crisis, I thought it was a clever use of parallelism. But it鈥檚 simply overused. No 鈥榮erious鈥� discussion of the crisis can take place without some political figure lamenting the fact that the trouble on Wall Street is affecting 鈥榝olks鈥� on Main Street.鈥� 鈥� Charles Harrison, Aiken, South Carolina

鈥淭he recent and continuing financial failings are not limited to 鈥榃all Street,鈥� nor should one paint business, consumers, and small investors as 鈥� Main Street .鈥� Topeka (where I work), and Lawrence (where I live), Kansas, have no named 鈥� Main Street .鈥� How tiresome.鈥� 鈥� Kent McAnally, Topeka, Kansas

鈥淚 am so tired of hearing about everything affecting 鈥� Main Street .鈥� I know that with the 鈥榃all Street鈥� collapse, the comparison is convenient, but really, let鈥檚 find another way to talk about everyman or the middle class, or even, heaven forbid, 鈥楯oe the Plumber.鈥欌�� 鈥� Stacey, Knoxville,听Tennessee

鈥淚t hasn鈥檛 won an Academy Award yet. It has only been NOMINATED!鈥� John Bohenek, Abilene, Tex.

鈥淚n one of former TV commentator Edwin Newman鈥檚 books, he wonders if it would be correct to say that someone 鈥榩aintered鈥� a picture?鈥� 鈥� Dorothy Betzweiser, Cincinnati, Ohio

鈥淏ack in the day, we used 鈥榖ack-in-the-day鈥� to mean something really historical. Now you hear ridiculous statements such as 鈥楤ack in the day, people used Blackberries without Blue Tooth.鈥欌�� 鈥� Liz Jameson, Tallahassee, Florida

鈥淭his one might鈥檝e already made the list back in the day, which was a Wednesday, I think.鈥� 鈥� Tim Bradley, Los Angeles, California

鈥淭he day after Thanksgiving that retailers use to keep themselves out of the 鈥榬ed鈥� for the year. (And then followed by 鈥淐yber-Monday.鈥�) This is counter to the start of the Great Depression鈥檚 use of the term 鈥楤lack Tuesday,鈥� which signaled the crash of the stock market that sent the economy into a tailspin. 鈥� Carl Marschner, Melvindale, Michigan

In spite of statements to the contrary, 鈥楥old is (NOT) the new hot,鈥� nor is 鈥�70 the new 50.鈥� The idea behind such comparisons was originally good, but we鈥檝e all watched them spiral out of reasonable uses into ludicrous ones and it鈥檚 now time to banish them from use. Or, to phrase it another way, 鈥極riginally clever advertising is now the new absurdity!鈥欌�� 鈥� Lawrence Mickel, Coventry, Connecticut

鈥淏elieved to have come into use in the 1960s, but it is getting tired. The comparisons have become absurd.鈥� 鈥� Geoff Steinhart, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥溾�極range is the new black.鈥� 鈥�50 is the new 30.鈥� 鈥楥hocolate is the new sex.鈥� 鈥楽ex is the new chocolate.鈥� 鈥楩allacy is the new truth.鈥� 鈥� Patrick Dillon, East Lansing, Michigan

Word-watchers have been calling for the annihilation of this one for several years.

鈥淯sed today in reference to widespread destruction or devastation. If you will not banish this word, I ask that its use be 鈥榙ecimated鈥� (reduced by one-tenth).鈥� 鈥� Allan Dregseth, Fargo, North Dakota

鈥淚 nominate 鈥榙ecimate鈥� as it applies to Man鈥檚 and Nature鈥檚 destructive fury and the outcome of sporting contests. Decimate simply means a 10% reduction 鈥� no more, no less. It may have derived notoriety because the ancient Romans used decimation as a technique for prisoner of war population reduction or an incentive for under-performing battle units. A group of 10 would be assembled and lots drawn. The nine losers would win and the winner would die at the hands of the losers 鈥� a variation on the instant lottery game. Perhaps 鈥榗reamed鈥� or 鈥檈mulsified鈥� should be substituted. 鈥� Mark Dobias, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淭he word is so overused and misused, people use it when they should be saying 鈥榓nnihilate.鈥� It鈥檚 so bad that now there are two definitions, the real one and the one that has taken over like a weed. 鈥� Dane, Flowery Branch, Georgia

鈥溾�楧ecimate鈥� has been turned upside down. It means 鈥榯o destroy one tenth,鈥� but people are using it to mean 鈥榯o destroy nine tenths.鈥� 鈥� David Welch, Venice, Florida

鈥淩eporters, short on vocabulary, often describe a scene as 鈥檈motional.鈥� Well sure, but which emotion? For a radio reporter to gravely announce, 鈥楾here was an emotional send off to Joe Blow鈥� tells me nothing, other than the reporter perceived that the participants acted in an emotional way. For instance: I had an emotional day today. I started out feeling tired and a bit grumpy until I had my coffee. I was distraught over a cat killing a bird on the other side of the street. I was bemused by my reaction to the way nature works. I was intrigued this evening to add a word or two to your suggestions. I was happy to see the words that others had posted. Gosh, this has been an emotional day for me.鈥� 鈥� Brendan Kennedy, Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada

鈥淭his oleaginous phrase is an emergency submission to the 2008 list. The notion has arisen that as one鈥檚 life progresses, one accumulates a sort of deficit balance with society which must be neutralized by charitable works or financial outlays. Are one鈥檚 daily transactions throughout life a form of theft?鈥� 鈥� Richard Ong, Carthage, Missouri

鈥淭his pointless phrase, uttered initially by athletes on the losing side of a contest, is making its way into general use. It accomplishes the dual feat of adding nothing to the conversation while also being phonetically and thematically redundant.鈥� 鈥� Jeffrey Skrenes, St. Paul, Minnesota

鈥淚t means absolutely nothing and is mostly a cop out or a way to avoid answering a question in a way that might require genuine thought or insight. Listen to an interview with some coach or athlete in big-time sports and you鈥檒l inevitably hear it.鈥� 鈥� Doug Compo, Brimley, Michigan

鈥淚t seems to be everywhere and pervade every section of any newspaper I read. It reminds me of 鈥榃ho is John Galt?鈥� from 鈥楢tlas Shrugged.鈥� It implies an acceptance of the status quo regardless of the circumstances. But it is what it is.鈥� 鈥� Erik Pauna, Mondovi, Wisconsin

鈥淥nly Yogi Berra should be allowed to utter such a circumlocution.鈥� 鈥� Jerry Holloway, Belcamp, Maryland

鈥淭his is migrating from primetime 鈥榬eality television鈥� and embedding itself into otherwise articulate persons鈥� vocabularies. Of course it is what it is 鈥� Otherwise, it wouldn鈥檛 be what it would have been!鈥� 鈥� Steve Olsen, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

Overused and misused to describe not only food, but computer products or human behavior, and often used when describing something as 鈥渘atural,鈥� says Crystal Giordano of Brooklyn, New York. Another advertising gimmick to make things sound better than they really are, according to Rick DeVan of Willoughby, Ohio, who said he has heard claims such as 鈥淢y business is organic,鈥� and computers having 鈥渙rganic software.鈥�

鈥淭hings have gone too far when they begin marketing T-shirts as organic.鈥� 鈥� Michelle Fitzpatrick, St. Petersburg, Florida

鈥溾�極rganic鈥� is used to describe everything, from shampoo to meat. Banishment! Improperly used!鈥� 鈥� Susan Clark, Bristol, Maine

鈥淭he possibility of a food item being inorganic, i.e., not being composed of carbon atoms, is nil.鈥� 鈥� John Gomila, New Orleans, Louisiana

鈥淵ou see the word 鈥榦rganic鈥� written on everything from cereal to dog food.鈥� 鈥� Michael, Sacramento, California

鈥淚鈥檓 tired of health food stores selling products that they say are organic. All the food we eat is organic!鈥� 鈥� Chad Jacobson, Park Falls, Wisconsin

鈥淥verused by the pundits on evening TV shows to mean just about any coincidence.鈥� 鈥� Lynn Allen, Warren, Michigan

鈥淚 read that 鈥極ntario is a perfect storm,鈥� in reference to a report on pollution levels in the Great Lakes. Ontario is the name of one of the lakes and a Canadian province. This guy would have me believe it鈥檚 a hurricane. It鈥檚 time for 鈥榩erfect storm鈥� to get rained out.鈥� 鈥� Bob Smith, DeWitt, Michigan

鈥淗ands off book titles as cheap descriptors!鈥� 鈥� David Hollis, Hamilton, New York

鈥淥n every single one of the 45,000 decorating shows on cable TV (of which I watch many) there is at LEAST one obligatory use of a phrase such as 鈥� 鈥榯he addition of the red really makes it POP.鈥� You know when it鈥檚 coming 鈥� you mouth it along with the decorator. There must be some other way of describing the addition of an interesting detail.鈥� 鈥� Barbara, Arlington, Texas

鈥溾�極ur post-9/11 world,鈥� is used now, and probably used more, than AD, BC, or Y2K, time references. You鈥檇 think the United States didn鈥檛 have jet fighters, nuclear bombs, and secret agents, let alone electricity, 鈥榩re-9/11.鈥欌�� 鈥� Chazz Miner, Midland, Michigan

Popular with teenagers in many places.
鈥淥verused and usually out of context, i.e. 鈥榊ou are so random!鈥� Really? Random is supposed to mean 鈥榖y chance.鈥� So what I said was by chance, and not by choice?鈥� 鈥� Gabriel Brandel, Farmington Hills, Michigan

鈥淥utrageous mis- and overuse, mostly by teenagers, i.e. 鈥楾his random guy, singing this random song 鈥� It was so random.鈥� Grrrrr.鈥� 鈥� Leigh, Duncan, Galway, Ireland

鈥淥veruse on a massive scale by my fellow youth. Every event, activity and person can be 鈥榮ooo random鈥� as of late. Banish it before I go vigilante.鈥� 鈥� Ben Martin, Adelaide, South Australia

鈥淗ow can a person be random?鈥� 鈥� Emma Halpin, Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom

鈥淭oo many sweets will make you sick. It became popular with the advent of the television show 鈥楽outh Park鈥� and by rights should have died of natural causes, but the term continues to cling to life. It is annoying when young children use it and have no idea why, but it really sounds stupid coming from the mouths of adults. Please kill this particular use of an otherwise fine word.鈥� 鈥� Wayne Braver, Manistique, Michigan

鈥淵outh lingo overuse, similar to 鈥榓wesome.鈥� I became sick of this one immediately.鈥� 鈥� Gordon Johnson, Minneapolis, Minnesota

鈥淪urge鈥� has become a reference to a military build-up. Give me the old days, when it referenced storms and electrical power.鈥� 鈥� Michael F. Raczko, Swanton, Ohio

鈥淒o I even have to say it? I can鈥檛 be the first one to nominate it 鈥� put me in line. From Iraq to Wall Street to the weather forecast 鈥� 鈥榮urge鈥� really ought to recede.鈥� 鈥� Mike Lara, Colorado

鈥淭his word came out in the context of increasing the number of troops in Iraq. Can be used to explain the expansion of many things (I have a surge in my waist) and it鈥檚 use will grow out of control 鈥�The new Chevy Surge, just experience the roominess!鈥� 鈥� Eric McMillan, Mentor, Ohio

鈥淔or overuse. I frequently hear this in the clich茅-filled sports world, where it鈥檚 used to describe misplaced blame 鈥� i.e. 鈥楢fter Sunday鈥檚 loss, the fans threw T.O. under the bus.鈥� 鈥� Mark R. Hinkston, Racine, Wisconsin

鈥淧lease, just 鈥榖lame鈥� them.鈥� 鈥� Mike Lekan, Kettering, Ohio

鈥淛ust wondering when someone saying something negative became the same as a mob hit. Since every sportscaster in the US uses it, is a call for the media to start issuing a thesaurus to everyone in front of a camera.鈥� 鈥� Mark Bockhaus, Appleton, Wisconsin

鈥淟et鈥檚 banish 鈥榳aterboarding鈥� to the beach, where it belongs with boogie boards and surfboards.鈥� 鈥� Patrick K. Egan, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

A seminar on the web about any number of topics.

鈥淥uch! It hurts my brain. It should be crushed immediately before it spreads.鈥� 鈥� Carol, Lams, Michigan

鈥淵et another non-word trying to worm its way into the English language due to the Internet. It belongs in the same school of non-thought that brought us e-anything and i-anything.鈥� 鈥� Scott Lassiter, Houston, Texas

For 鈥榮eminar on the web.鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 silly. Next we鈥檒l have a Dutch 鈥榙unch鈥� 鈥� bring your own lunch for a digital lunch meeting.鈥� 鈥� Karen Nolan, Charlotte, North Carolina

鈥淚鈥檝e never read anything created by a wordsmith 鈥� or via wordsmithing 鈥� that was pleasant to read.鈥� 鈥� Emily Kissane, St. Paul, Minnesota

From the news reports. What degree of 鈥渂ad鈥� don鈥檛 we understand? 鈥� Larry Lillehammer of Bonney Lake, Washington, asks, 鈥淎fter it stopped going well and good?鈥�

The chewable vitamin morphine of marketing.

鈥淎sk your doctor if 鈥榝ill in the blank鈥� is right for you! Heck, just take one and see if it makes you 鈥榝ill in the blank鈥� or get deathly ill.鈥� 鈥� R.C. Amundson, Oakville, Washington

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think my doctor would appreciate my calling him after seeing a TV ad.鈥� 鈥� Peter B. Liveright, Lutherville, Maryland

Given a one-year moratorium in 1984, when the Unicorn Hunters banished it 鈥渄uring which it is to be rehabilitated until it means 鈥榝ear mingled with admiration or reverence; a feeling produced by something majestic.鈥� Many write to tell us there鈥檚 no hope and it鈥檚 time for 鈥渢he full banishment.鈥�

鈥淭he kind of tennis shoes you wear, no matter how cute, don鈥檛 fit the majestic design of the word.鈥� 鈥� Leila Hill, Damascus, Maryland

鈥淭hat a mop, a deodorant or a dating service can be called 鈥榓wesome鈥� demonstrates the limited vocabularies of the country鈥檚 copywriters.鈥� 鈥� Tom Brinkmoeller, Orlando, Florida

鈥淥verused and meaningless.鈥� My mother was hit by a car.鈥� Awesome. 鈥業 just got my college degree.鈥� Awesome.鈥� 鈥� Robert Bron, Pattaya, Chonburi, Thailand

See classified advertisements for houses, says Morris Conklin of Lisboa, Portugal, as in 鈥渕aster bedroom boasts his-and-her fireplaces 鈥� never 鈥榖athroom apologizes for cracked linoleum,鈥� or 鈥榢itchen laments pathetic placement of electrical outlets.鈥欌��

Smoked dry over medium heat.

鈥淧rior to 2005 . . . a roasted jalapeno. Now we have a 鈥榗hipotle鈥� burrito with 鈥榗hipotle鈥� marinated meat, 鈥榗hipotle鈥� peppers, sprinkled with a 鈥榗hipotle鈥� seasoning and smothered in a 鈥榗hipotle鈥� sauce. Time to give this word a rest.鈥� 鈥� Rob Zeiger, Bristol, Pennsylvania

Celebrity duos of yore 鈥� BogCall (Bogart and Bacall), Lardy (Laurel and Hardy), and CheeChong (Cheech and Chong) 鈥� just got lucky.

鈥淚t鈥檚 bad enough that celebrities have to be the top news stories. Now we鈥檝e given them obnoxious names such as 鈥楤ragelina,鈥� 鈥楾omKat鈥� and 鈥楤ennifer.鈥欌�� 鈥� M. Foster, Port Huron, Michigan

鈥淚t鈥檚 so annoying, idiotic and so lame and pathetic that it鈥檚 鈥榣amethetic.鈥欌�� 鈥� Ed of Centreville, Virginia

The US military鈥檚 shorthand for a base in Cuba drives a wedge wider than a split infinitive.

鈥淲hen did the notorious Guantanamo Bay Naval Base change to 鈥楪itmo,鈥� a word that conjures up an image of a fluffy and sweet character from a Japanese anime show?鈥� 鈥� Marcus W., St. Louis, Missouri

鈥淚t makes 鈥榤issing鈥� sound like a place you can visit, such as the Poconos. Is the person missing, or not? She went there but maybe she came back. 鈥業s missing鈥� or 鈥榳as missing鈥� would serve us better.鈥� 鈥� Robin Dennis, Flower Mound, Texas

Point of view is everything.

Someone told Joy Wiltzius of Fort Collins, Colorado, that the tuna steak she had for lunch 鈥渟ounded healthy.鈥� Her reply: 鈥淚f my lunch were healthy, it would still be swimming somewhere. Grilled and nestled in salad greens, it鈥檚 鈥榟ealthful.鈥欌��

鈥榚-Anything鈥� made the list in 2000. Geoff Steinhart of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, says tech companies everywhere have picked this apple to the core. 鈥淭urn on 鈥� tune in 鈥� and drop out.鈥�

鈥淏anish any word that starts with it. i am just tired of it. it鈥檚 getting old. 鈥� Brad Butler, Adrian, Michigan

Heard in movie advertisements. Where can we see that, again?

鈥淗ow often do movies premiere in laundromats or other places besides theaters? I know that when I want to see a movie I think about going to a shoe store.鈥� 鈥� Andrea May, Shreveport, Louisiana

The styff of lemgendz: Gamer defeats gamer, types in 鈥淚 pwn you鈥� rather than I OWN you.

鈥淭his word is just an overly used Internet typo. It has been overused to the point that people who play online games are using it in everyday speech.鈥� 鈥� Tory Rowley, Corunna, Michigan

Quasi-anachronism. Placed on one-year moratorium.

鈥淢ight as well banish it. The word has been replaced by 鈥榞oogle.鈥欌�� 鈥� Michael Raczko, Swanton, Ohio

鈥淭his word, popularized by The Colbert Report and exalted by the American Dialectic Society鈥檚 Word of the Year in 2005 has been used up. What used to ring true is getting all the truth wrung out of it.鈥� 鈥� Joe Grimm, Detroit, Michigan

鈥淚f they haven鈥檛 followed the law to get here, they are by definition 鈥榠llegal.鈥� It鈥檚 like saying a drug dealer is an 鈥榰ndocumented pharmacist.鈥欌�� 鈥� John Varga, Westfield, New Jersey

Grounded for nine months.

鈥淲ere men feeling left out of the whole morning sickness/huge belly/labor experience? You may both be expecting, but only one of you is pregnant.鈥� 鈥� Sharla Hulsey, Sac City, Iowa

鈥淚鈥檓 sure any woman who has given birth will tell you that 鈥榃E鈥� did not deliver the baby.鈥� 鈥� Marlena Linne, Greenfield, Indiana

Adventures in delusion. 鈥淪till has 3% fat . . . accept it.鈥� 鈥� Andrew Clucas, Canberra, Australia

Best-laid mayhem. 鈥淭his means some accidents need to happen, for whatever reason, I can鈥檛 figure.鈥� 鈥� Thomas Price, Orlando, Florida

Once it stopped presses. Now it鈥檚 a lower-intestinal condition brought about by eating dinner during newscasts. 鈥淣ow they have to interrupt my supper to tell me that Katie Holmes is pregnant.鈥� 鈥� Michael Raczko, Swanton, Ohio

A five-dollar phrase on a nickel-errand. Value-added into many higher education mission statements. 鈥淣ot to be confused with 鈥榮chool.鈥欌�� 鈥� Jim Howard from Mishawa, Indiana

No designer breed here. Someone should wash out this Spot. 鈥淓ven parents are starting to use it!鈥� 鈥� complains Mrs. Swartz鈥檚 Fifth Grade Class in Church Road, Virginia

鈥淭his is species confusion.鈥� 鈥� Rob Bowers, Santa Clara, California

鈥淒on鈥檛 call me 鈥榙awg鈥�! I鈥檓 not your pet!鈥� 鈥� Michael Swartz, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Many nominators consider this a bastardization of dog breeding. It may be a good line to use on angry neighbors when an un-neutered dog escapes. 鈥淲hen you mate a miniature schnauzer to a toy poodle, it鈥檚 not a 鈥楽chnoodle,鈥� it鈥檚 a mongrel.鈥� 鈥� George Bullerjahn, Bowling Green, Ohio

Dedicated to the memory of a great federal agency consigned to the ash heap of parody. 鈥淚f they don鈥檛 do anything, we don鈥檛 need their acronym.鈥� 鈥� Josh Hamilton, Tucson, Arizona

Preamble often heard on talk radio. 鈥淚 am serious in asking: who in any universe gives a care?鈥� 鈥� Miguel McCormick, Orlando, Florida

(Any of its variations) It鈥檚 overdone. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no escaping it. It鈥檚 everywhere, from TV to T-shirts,鈥� says Amanda Tikkanen of LaGrange, Indiana. 鈥淧lease tell me when we鈥檙e done with this one.鈥�

Many salvoes were fired during this past season鈥檚 鈥渨ar on Christmas.鈥� At the risk of jumping into the breach, the committee feels that 鈥淗oliday tree鈥� is a silly name for what most folks hold as a Christmas tree, no matter your preference of religion. Thank goodness we all agree on the first day of winter.

To brace oneself, in anticipation of media onslaught. Trotted out in reports about everything from politics to hurricanes. 鈥淚 have a hankering to ban all of this hunkering.鈥� 鈥� Kate Rabe Forgach, Fort Collins, Colorado

Banished from the Marketplace of Ideas. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not scientists who are using this phrase so much as the people who practice junk politics.鈥� 鈥� Ron LaLonde, Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada

Received the most nominations of the words and phrases that came out of the presidential election. From political ads to auto parts 鈥�

鈥淲hat started in political ads is spiraling out of control.鈥� 鈥� Jim Blashill, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淚鈥檝e heard three local car commercials where the morons use that phrase!鈥� 鈥� John Venezia, Colorado Springs, Colorado

鈥淲ould a political candidate approve a message they did not agree with?鈥� 鈥� John Gorsline, Albuquerque, New Mexico

鈥淚鈥檓 Kristina and I approve this nomination.鈥� 鈥� Kristina, Granite City, Illinois

The merchants way of giving you something 鈥渧alue added.鈥� 鈥淓very merchant offers carpets, flooring and more. Can we envision baskets, caskets and more? Need I say less?鈥� 鈥� Ray of Willard, Ohio

鈥淕oods and services no longer have limits! Everything marketed can be something else! 鈥業t鈥檚 a hamburger meal, but it鈥檚 much, much more 鈥� It鈥檚 a time machine, too!鈥� 鈥� Mark of Kanata, Ontario, Canada

referring to television shows 鈥� 鈥淥f course it鈥檚 all new. Why can鈥檛 they just say 鈥榥ew鈥�? There are no partially-new episodes, no repeat of last Tuesday鈥檚 episode with a slightly reworked Act 2.鈥� 鈥� Greg Ellis, Bellevue, Washington

鈥淒uring an election, every state is a battleground.鈥� 鈥� Austin White, West Hartford, Connecticut

鈥淒id it mean Bush and Kerry would go toe-to-toe?鈥� 鈥� Evan Cornell, Ligonier, Pennsylvania

and its variations, including blogger, blogged, blogging, blogosphere. Many who nominated it were unsure of the meaning. Sounds like something your mother would slap you for saying.

鈥淪ounds like a Viking鈥檚 drink that鈥檚 better than grog, or a technique to kill a frog.鈥� 鈥� Teri Vaughn, Anaheim, California

鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 something that would be stuck in my toilet.鈥� 鈥� Adrian Whittaker, Dundalk, Ontario. 鈥淚 think the words 鈥榡ournal鈥� and 鈥榙iary鈥� need to come back.鈥� 鈥� T. J. Allen, Shreveport,听Louisiana

Who鈥檚 who, anyway? 鈥淚 remember when I was a kid and Georgia was purple,鈥� says Peter Pietrangelo, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. 鈥淎 good map has more than two colors.鈥�

鈥淎lso known as 鈥榮oap.鈥欌�� 鈥� Ray Hill, Jackson, Michigan

low carbs, high carbs, no carbs, carb-friendly 鈥� Meant 鈥榗arburetor鈥� in a previous life. Needs to be purged from our system.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e not fat because you eat bread; you鈥檙e fat because you eat too much!鈥� 鈥� Emily Price, Norfolk, Virginia

鈥淲hat鈥檚 the point of low-carb beer? A person that concerned about 鈥榗arbs鈥� shouldn鈥檛 even be drinking beer.鈥� 鈥� Roger Briskey, Orlando, Florida

鈥淢akes no sense. Do we have friendly combatants? Neutral combatants? Or how about enemy bystanders? If they are your enemy, just say so.鈥� 鈥�听Bill Sellers, Hampton, Virginia

Do we need to hear about it daily on TV and radio, even on racecars? Firmly rejected by the committee. 鈥淭oo much information!鈥� 鈥� Carolyn Jamsa, Chillicothe, Illinois

They belong at the beach, not in a political dialogue. 鈥淩epublicans used it; Democrats used it back. Flip-flop back and forth it goes.鈥� 鈥� Jeff Lewis, Ada, Michigan

As opposed to what used to be referred to as a bomb or mine. 鈥淚s this anything like a bomb or is it more (or less) sinister?鈥� 鈥� Harold Blackwood, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

By far, the abomination that received the most nominations. Some sort of 鈥楻ap-Latin鈥� suffix, as in fa鈥檚hizzle, which means 鈥榝or sure.鈥�

鈥淚t was clever for about five minutes, or should I say five 鈥榤inizzles?鈥欌�� 鈥� R. Glover, Waterford, Michigan

Derek Hogan of Misssissauga, Ontario, Canada, said it was cool when a rapper came up with it a few years ago, but now it鈥檚 overused and is even being used in television commercials.

鈥淟ike Superbowl excesses, it is too much of too much,鈥� 鈥� Daniel Baisden, Savannah, Georgia

鈥淓very single person on every reality show comments on how amazing the 鈥榡ourney鈥� was. Since when does dating a dozen nerds over a six-week span or conniving to win a million dollars over 15 other people qualify as a 鈥榡ourney鈥欌��? 鈥� Cindy, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

鈥淎re we talking about someone not buying a round of drinks or people shooting at each other?鈥� 鈥� Rob of Crawley, West Sussex, United Kingdom

鈥淪ounds like someone having trouble pulling their hands out of their pants pockets.鈥� 鈥� Joe Hutley, Las Vegas, Nevada

鈥淭ry the new, clinically proven, safe and effective wonder drug you never knew you needed 鈥� Safe and effective should not be a selling point, it should be an FDA requirement!鈥�-听 CW Estes, Roanoke Texas

鈥淵ear-end sales are now 鈥榮ales events.鈥� Now most have shortened it to 鈥榚vent.鈥� Does the sale exist any longer? 鈥楬ey, nice new Chevy, Bob!鈥� 鈥楾hanks, it was on event at the dealer last week.鈥欌�� 鈥� Allan Dregseth, Fargo, North Dakota

Nominated by many over the past few years, including Paul Freedman, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. 鈥淪ince when has this become a prefix for everything? That鈥檚 眉ber-rific!鈥� 鈥� Lolina, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

鈥溾�� Everything that is big, amazing, unique is described as 眉ber.鈥� 鈥� Sue, Colorado Springs, Colorado

鈥淛anet Jackson鈥檚 bodice did not 鈥榤alfunction,鈥欌�� says John Wetterholt, Woodstock, Illinois.

鈥淛ustin Timberlake pulled too much and too far and I could hear the cogs turning in his publicist鈥檚 head trying to come up with that excuse!鈥�

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 the wardrobe鈥檚 fault!鈥� 鈥� Jane Starr, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

鈥淪ure to be this generation鈥檚 Watergate, misapplied to all situations both imaginable and not so.鈥� 鈥� David Edgar, Sydney, Australia

A seminar on the web about any number of topics.

鈥淥uch! It hurts my brain. It should be crushed immediately before it spreads.鈥� 鈥� Carol, Lams, Michigan

鈥淵et another non-word trying to worm its way into the English language due to the Internet. It belongs in the same school of non-thought that brought us e-anything and i-anything.鈥� 鈥� Scott Lassiter, Houston, Texas

For 鈥榮eminar on the web.鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 silly. Next we鈥檒l have a Dutch 鈥榙unch鈥� 鈥� bring your own lunch for a digital lunch meeting.鈥� 鈥� Karen Nolan, Charlotte, North Carolina

鈥淎nd the little hand movement, too!鈥� 鈥� Jason Ranville, State College, Pennsylvania

One nominator suggested that to say it would soon constitute a trademark infringement.

Sending a dollar to do a nickel鈥檚 worth of work. 鈥� Michael Hehn, Ferrysburg, Michigan

鈥淭hey could just say 鈥榥o interest.鈥� Michael Hehn, Ferrysburg, Michigan

Or any of its variations 鈥� 鈥淗ate, hate. Grate, grate,鈥� says Steven Phipps of Pueblo, Colorado.

Received many nominations from across the United States.

鈥淭his once street slang for items of luxury has now become so overused and abused that (everyone) has incorporated it into their vocabularies. Yes, your mom might say it. Nothing could kill the mystique of a word faster.鈥� 鈥� Todd Facklas, Chicago, Illinois

鈥淭he news keeps stating that Saddam Hussein was 鈥榗aptured alive.鈥� Well, what other way are you going to be captured? Maybe 鈥榝ound dead鈥� or 鈥榙iscovered dead鈥� never 鈥榗aptured dead.鈥欌�� 鈥� Bill Lodholz, Davis, California

鈥淭hey鈥檙e called PETS.鈥� 鈥� Nick Leach, Bloomington, Indiana

Nominations for this Iraq War II phrase came from throughout the U.S., Canada and overseas. 鈥淚鈥檓 a journalist and until the war started, I鈥檇 never heard this term. In the interest of objectivity, journalists probably shouldn鈥檛 be embedded with any organization they regularly cover.鈥� 鈥� Ken Marten, Hamtramck, Michigan

鈥淚t seems to be a hip way of saying, 鈥榓t the scene,鈥欌�� said Tim Bednall, Tokyo, Japan.

鈥淭he next time I hear it used by the media, I鈥檓 going to embed my foot in the TV!鈥� 鈥� Ellen Brown, San Diego, California

We鈥檙e not sure where Orin Hargraves of Westminster, Maryland discovered this beauty, but we agreed with his assertion that 鈥淭his compound is an insult to generations of skilled craftspeople who have mustered the effort and discipline to create something beautiful by hand. To apply 鈥榟and-crafted鈥� to the routine tasks of the modern-day equivalents of soda jerks cheapens the whole concept of handicraft.鈥�

鈥淲ho is Harm, and why would you want to get in his way?鈥� 鈥� Thomas Watts, Sumter, South Carolina

And other abbreviated 鈥榚-mail speak,鈥� including the symbol 鈥楡鈥� when used in advertising and elsewhere.

Alex G. of Warsaw, Poland, says, 鈥淚t鈥檚 everywhere on the net! OMG! u r chattin to sum1 then 鈥� lol this and lol that 鈥� .Get it away!鈥�

鈥淚 wonder if anyone really laughs out loud when they use this short-hand Instant Messenger slang?鈥� 鈥� Rachel Rose, Pickford, Michigan

An urban male who pays too much attention to his appearance.

Bob Forrest of Tempe, Arizona, says it 鈥渟ounds like someone who only has sex downtown or on the subway.鈥�

Fred Bernardin of Arlington, Massachusetts, asks, 鈥淎ren鈥檛 there enough words to describe men who spend too much time in front of the mirror?鈥�

Dennis K. McDermott of Oneida, New York, says, 鈥淚t appears on 99% of the return envelopes provided by creditors with monthly billings. It鈥檚 especially annoying when enclosed in a rectangle drawn in the upper right corner. (What if you miss?) And then 鈥� they inform you that 鈥楾he Post Office will not deliver without postage.鈥� Can we legitimately claim to be a superpower if we need to be reminded to put a stamp on an envelope?鈥�

Eric Hooper of South Lyon, Michigan, agrees: 鈥淚f I鈥檓 too stupid to figure out where to put the stamp, then paying the phone bill is probably the least of my worries.鈥�

As in bamboozled, duped, flimflammed, hornswoggled. Nominated by the Frank and Johnnie Show, WGN, Chicago. An old noun given new life as a verb because of the television show. Kill it before it grows.

Gerald Anderson of Winter Haven, Florida, says, 鈥淭V shows are often described as being 鈥榬ipped from the headlines.鈥� Kicking and screaming, no doubt.鈥�

鈥淓ver been to one?鈥� asks Stan Slade of Long Beach, Mississippi. 鈥淣ot the cleanest place in the world. What happened to the county or city dump?鈥�

During the height of the war last spring, Tyler King of Toronto, Ontario, told us he鈥檇 like to see all words rhyming with Iraq banished, and he sent this lovely poem:

鈥淟ately, every news report has tried to create a rhyme about Iraq. Frankly, I鈥檓 sick of hearing about the 鈥楢ttack on Iraq鈥�! There is no turning back from an attack on Iraq to (get) that quack who likes to yak with his terrorist pack about having the knack to bring weapon inspectors back.”

Still another from Iraq. 鈥淚鈥檓 just waiting on 鈥楽hock and Awe Laundry Soap鈥� or maybe 鈥楽hock and Awe Pool Cleaner,鈥欌�� says Joe Reynolds of Conroe, Texas.

鈥淚鈥檓 tired of hearing this phrase on the news. Shots don鈥檛 鈥榬ing鈥� unless you are standing too close to the muzzle, and in that case you don鈥檛 need the reporter telling you about it.鈥� 鈥� Michael Kinney, Rockville, Maryland

Another one that came to us from Iraq, but is widely used elsewhere. 鈥淟et鈥檚 give the 21-gun salute to this overused analogy,鈥� says Andrew Pagano, Montgomery Village, Maryland.

鈥淩emember the television show 鈥楪un smoke鈥�? Now THERE were smoking guns!鈥� 鈥� Scot Moss, Madison, Wisconsin

鈥淲hat鈥檚 wrong with 鈥榟ard evidence鈥�?鈥� 鈥� Kevin O鈥橲heehan, Bangkok, Thailand

Tim Croce of Torrington, Connecticut says 鈥淧igs do not have sweat glands; that is why they roll in mud to cool themselves.鈥� Nevertheless, Tim said he was sweating like a pig to get this nomination to us.

Last year it was 鈥榚xtreme.鈥� This year, 鈥榅鈥� follows in its footsteps. 鈥淢arketers have latched onto this letter to grab the 鈥楪eneration-X demographic. X-files, Xtreme, Windows XP and X-Box are all part of this PR-powered phenomenon,鈥� said John Casnig of Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

鈥淎s opposed to green in size,鈥� quips Janet Litherland of Thomasville, Georgia. Lends an empty air of precision.

鈥淎s per a conversation I had with a co-worker and 鈥榓s per鈥� common decency to your fellow human beings, please substitute 鈥榓ccording to.鈥� If I hear 鈥榓s per鈥� ever again, I will need to take some 鈥榓sperin.鈥欌�� 鈥� Greg Gibson, Tucson, Arizona

From the weather and news reports. Ice is ice. Watch your step.

鈥淚ce is usually clear and shiny when you see the black pavement through it.鈥� 鈥� Robert Irving, Tahoe City, California

鈥淭his word, once properly associated with marking livestock to prove ownership, has been co-opted by the MBA crowd and now seems to refer to any activity that supports a company鈥檚 desire to clearly define its products and/or services. Can鈥檛 we just say 鈥楶romotions and PR?鈥� 鈥� Nancy Hicks, Fairfax, Virginia

鈥淣o one has problems anymore, they only face 鈥榗hallenges.鈥� 鈥� Sonia Jaffe Robbins, New York, New York

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a weasel word. 鈥楥hallenges鈥� only have to be met. Problems require solutions!鈥� 鈥� Ray Lucas, Ann Arbor, Michigan

This overused word in advertising and marketing drew the ire of citizens throughout North America, from coast to coast.

Al Slang of Duncan, British Columbia, Canada, said 鈥淚t鈥檚 used 24/7 (we banished that in 2000, Al) on everything from store sales to deodorant ads.鈥�

鈥淓xtreme sports, extreme cars, extreme soft drinks 鈥� I鈥檓 tired of hearing it.鈥� 鈥� Doug Hagen, Newton, North Carolina

Razors aren鈥檛 extreme. Neither are deodorants or cheeseburgers.鈥� 鈥� Cliff of Pensacola, Florida

鈥淚 saw a church billboard advertising 鈥楨xtreme Adventures鈥� at their vacation bible school. What the heck does that mean?鈥� 鈥� Cheril Lin D. Abeel, Detroit, Michigan

鈥淚 hear this phrase used by sportscasters trying to be hip: 鈥楬e鈥檚 got game tonight!鈥� They mean he鈥檚 playing well.鈥� 鈥� Scott Tolentino, Garden City, Utah

Nominated by many for over-use, especially in the news media, according to Kay J. Jauch, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and William Hamlin of Wappingers Falls, New York.

鈥淚 heard you the first time,鈥� said David Patrick of Lafayette, Indiana.

鈥淎nnoying useless filler,鈥� said Sadie Campbell of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.

鈥淚t seems like the intellectual form of 鈥榶a know.鈥欌�� 鈥� Shelley Gaskin, Scottsdale, Arizona

A new and improved buzzword. With billions of dollars at stake, perhaps 鈥渘ational security鈥� is just plain blas茅.

鈥淲hat happened to the Department of Defense?鈥� asks Rick Miller of Champaign, Illinois.

鈥淭his phrase is 鈥榬amped up鈥� (banished in 2002) for over-use,鈥� says Mark Dobias of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. 鈥淭he question is: good for whom? For example, insider trading may be a good thing, but only if one does not get caught. Then it is a bad thing.鈥�

Nominated by many, including Angela Wood of Anchorage, Alaska, for over-use since the 2000 election.

鈥淕enerally used instead of 鈥榙on鈥檛 underestimate鈥� or 鈥榰nderstand,鈥欌�� says John O鈥機onnell of San Jose, California. Are listeners really going to mistake what the questioner is saying?

鈥淲ho鈥檚 mistaken, anyway?鈥� asks Barb Keller of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

鈥淪uggests an obstetrical complication that pulls a physician off the golf course,鈥� says a nominator from Washington, D.C. Sounds like contract lawyer-speak rather than the world-worn parlance of war planners and diplomats. At one time, UN resolutions were violated. Violators were held in contempt. How long until treaties are ripped up in the presence of attorneys?

鈥淯sed often in the sporting world,鈥� says Paul DeCarlo of Helena, Alabama. 鈥淲hat mistake is not mental?鈥�

鈥淢ust find remote. Must change channel,鈥� laments Nan Heflin from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Television once pitched entertainment. Apparently now it鈥檚 taken on a greater imperative. Assumes herd mentality over program taste.

Many, including Valli Irvine of Austin, Texas, thought this should have been included on the 2002 list. Matthew Lowe of Kew Gardens, New Jersey, summed it up for the many who nominated this tiresome phrase: 鈥淚t has become overused since the terrorist attacks 鈥� from warnings to be safe, to stores having sales 鈥� It has to go!鈥�

Lowe鈥檚 neighbor, Mike Bowers of Lebanon, New Jersey, agrees: 鈥淲hat鈥檚 next? 鈥楴ow, more than ever, Americans need 50% more raisins in their cereal?鈥欌��

鈥淭his precious way of saying, 鈥楴ow that we鈥檝e had a terrorist attack on U.S. soil, we have a duty to recognize the important things in life鈥� seems to be the recent darling of advertisers and politicians 鈥�What simpering balderdash!鈥� 鈥� Josh Mandel, Colonie, New York

鈥淒o they think that, if the name did not contain instructions, we would peel-and-throw-on-floor?鈥� 鈥� Miguel McCormick, Orlando, Florida

Media hip-speak and frivolous dramatization. David Cheng of Rockville, Maryland, points out that humans live on the ground, 鈥渘ot suspended 100 feet in the air or 100 fathoms beneath the ocean.鈥�

鈥淓specially annoying during the presidential election recount, but still shows up in major news stories,鈥� 鈥� Robert Prince, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

鈥淲here else would you be?鈥� 鈥� Ken Finkel, Dundas, Ontario, Canada

鈥淥nly in a few situations is it necessary,鈥� 鈥� Andrew Makepeace, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

鈥淒iscrimination is discrimination, regardless of who is being discriminated against.鈥� 鈥� Kristen of St. Paul, Minnesota

鈥淚t is inaccurate and misleading. There IS a score. It is 0-0.鈥澨� 鈥� Paul Jertson, Christmas Valley, Oregon

Redundant stacking of adjectives often used to describe Vice President Cheney鈥檚 whereabouts. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 a secret, it鈥檚 pretty undisclosed, and if it鈥檚 undisclosed, it鈥檚 a secret,鈥� says Bill Lodholz of Davis, California.

Balky attempt to make some deaths more tragic than others. 鈥淗as anyone yet died a timely death?鈥� asks Donald Burgess of South Pasadena, California.

Used more and more (and just too much according to James of Canberra, Australia) as a card that trumps all forms of aggression. In danger of becoming a push-button buzzword. Many nominators point out that any weapon, used effectively, does a lot of destruction. 鈥淎 few thousand machetes in the hands of an army in Africa can lead to mass genocide,鈥� writes Howard Stacy of Atlanta, Georgia.

Jack Newman of Cypress, Texas, often hears the hybrid, 鈥渨epuhmadistricshun.鈥�

鈥淥verused, over-wrought.鈥� 鈥� Michelle Gill, Chicago, Illinois

Stems from when TV newscasts began using new doppler weather radar. Now 鈥榙oppler-fication鈥� has become a badge of excellence with local newscasts, regardless of whether it involves weather. Even the stations are amused by it. The Morning Crew at YES-FM in Sault Ste. Marie predicts sweet forecasts with its 鈥淗obbler-Dobbler-Peach-Cobbler.鈥� Claire Rynders of Madison, Wisconsin, asks, 鈥淚f my TV station uses 鈥楧oppler 2001,鈥� does that mean weather forecasts are more accurate because it has bigger doppler?鈥�

instead of saying that an athlete is very good. 鈥淣ot yet in the dictionary, but no doubt on the way 鈥� exceeded only by 鈥榯remendous athleticism鈥�!鈥� 鈥� Keith, Edwardsville, Illinois.

鈥淭his word is so overused by coaches and players that it has ceased to have any meaning (if it ever did). He鈥檚 graceful. She can jump. She鈥檚 strong. He鈥檚 accurate. Give me details.鈥� 鈥� Sarah Kickler-Kelber, Columbia, Maryland.

鈥淏ipartisanship, to most politicians, only seems to happen when one side gets its way and the other goes along with it. I didn鈥檛 vote for my guy to submit to the will of the opposing party. I want lots of partisanship!鈥� 鈥� Michael Bush, Jersey City, New Jersey

A fashionable construction that refers to robots. 鈥淧lease restore the neglected 鈥榬o-鈥�,鈥� pleads Bob Forrest of Tempe, Arizona.

鈥淏ureaucrats and bosses often use it to sound hip instead of dry. 鈥榃e brainstormed.鈥� Didn鈥檛 you simply 鈥榯hink鈥�? 鈥榃e had a brainstorming session.鈥� Didn鈥檛 you simply have a meeting?鈥� 鈥� Ken Marten, Hamtramck, Michigan

鈥淚f you鈥檝e ever been on a committee for anything, you鈥檝e heard this.鈥� 鈥� Thomas Heilman, Lebanon, Pennsylvania

鈥淧ractically every news reporter and our President has uttered these words. Now, hearing this phrase is almost comical, even under these most serious circumstances that profoundly affected my home town 鈥︹�� 鈥� a proud New Yorker from Queens.

鈥淭hroughout my long career in law enforcement, there was a name for the forcible taking of an auto from the driver. It鈥檚 called armed robbery.鈥� 鈥� John King, Oceanside, California

鈥淣ow in standard use 鈥� As distinguished from the delay caused by an accident yet to occur.鈥�

Miguel McCormick of Orlando, Florida, should take his redundancy act on the road. He sent us some beauties.

鈥淪omewhere along the line, somebody stumbled into it thinking he was saying 鈥榙isfranchise.鈥� It caught on, and for more than 30 years we鈥檝e been subjected to this negative-positive abomination. What鈥檚 next? 鈥楧isenable鈥�? 鈥� Mike Bunis, Key West, Florida. 鈥淭he term has been frequently applied to describe voters who have experienced difficulty in following directions.鈥� 鈥� J. H. Jaroma, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淥ur country cannot possibly hold that many victims.鈥� 鈥� Linda, Kansas City, Missouri

鈥淪upposedly referring to creative work that is provocative and interesting, the word now has become a signal that someone is trying to 鈥榤arket鈥� yet another piece of offensively contrived hack work. We should limit the word to physical things that have edges, such as an 鈥榚dgy coffee table.鈥欌�� 鈥� Ron LaLonde, Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada.

鈥淎ll it means is religious entities, but I presume 鈥榝aith-based organizations鈥� will elicit less recoil.鈥� 鈥� Michele Mooney, Van Nuys, California

鈥淚鈥檓 just tired of hearing it. Bombard the phrase with guided Missals.鈥� 鈥� Elaine Hampton, Burbank, California

Just how long is foreseeable? 鈥淲hat about the unforeseeable future?鈥� ponders James Hartman from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

鈥淏ut if not, then warn after the fact.鈥�

Miguel McCormick of Orlando, Florida, should take his redundancy act on the road. He sent us some beauties.

鈥淲ould unfriendly fire be less painful?鈥� 鈥� nominator from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

A sneaky way of getting a version of the dreaded 鈥楩鈥� word on the radio and TV. Is there anything one can鈥檛 say on the airwaves these days? 鈥� Merri Carol Wozniak, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Nominated by many, including listeners of Lindy Thorsen鈥檚 show on CBC-Regina. 鈥淭he word is used in the computer field when people don鈥檛 seem to know how to explain a software feature. It鈥檚 used as a crutch, and it鈥檚 used way too much!鈥� 鈥� Scott Watson, Oxford, Michigan

鈥淯sed all too frequently in the information technology industry to describe attributes and capabilities 鈥� Product 鈥榰pgrades鈥� are said to feature 鈥榚nhanced functionality,鈥� whatever that is.鈥� 鈥� Terry Shannon, Ashland, Massachusetts

鈥淪ince Sept. 11, we鈥檝e heard countless variations of this phrase, usually from politicians, encouraging us to get back to our normal way of life. It has become so overused as to become almost meaningless, especially when, for example, the Smallville Chamber of Commerce says, 鈥業f you don鈥檛 come to the annual parade, then the terrorists win.鈥� I can鈥檛 imagine al-Qaeda cares whether we attend parades 鈥� Sorry to have taken up so much space, but if I can鈥檛 complain about things that bug me, then the terrorists will have won.鈥� 鈥� nominator from Chicago, Illinois

鈥淭he phrase makes a mockery of those extremely tragic events of that day.鈥� 鈥� nominator from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

鈥淲hat was ever wrong with the word 鈥榓fter?鈥欌�� A caller on WJR Detroit鈥檚 David Newman Show wondered if we should all take one tablet in the wake of each meal.

鈥淚s everyone else as tired of this as I am? If a commercial lasts for 30 minutes, it鈥檚 a PROGRAM. It鈥檚 also boring!鈥� 鈥� John King, Oceanside, California

Used to describe an outstanding computer program. 鈥淚f its function doesn鈥檛 approximate that of the HAL 9000 computer from 2001, it鈥檚 not really a killer application,鈥� says Peter Lynn of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

As a caller into a radio program on Detroit鈥檚 WJR pointed out, only counterfeiters make money. Honest people earn it.

We received many nominations for this annoying abbreviation that refers to Sept. 11, 2001, the day terrorists attacked and killed thousands in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. Those who sent nominations said they were in no way trying to make light of the day鈥檚 events, or the subsequent events. Most of them asked if finding a 鈥榗ute鈥� abbreviation for the day makes the attacks any easier to accept. 鈥淟ast year, we had Y2K and 24-7. This year, we have 9-11. This new digital language (digitalk?) should be banned no later than 1-1-Y2K-2 鈥� Do we refer to the Chicago Fire as 10-8 because it occurred on Oct. 8, 1871? How about the sinking of the Titanic 鈥� it is not called 4-14. A tragic event of such proportion should not be confused with a telephone number.

The name will be remembered as long as there are people who can read.鈥� 鈥� nominator from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe people are abbreviating the worst act of war this country has seen since Pearl Harbor. I鈥檝e never heard anybody refer to the attack on Pearl Harbor as Twelve-Seven, or 12-7.鈥� 鈥� nominator from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

鈥淚t was September 11.鈥� 鈥� nominator from Ishpeming, Michigan.

鈥淚t鈥檚 overused and sounds ridiculous when used to represent what happened on September 11. 鈥� nominator from Madison, Wisconsin.

鈥淚t鈥檚 worse when people play on the ambiguity with 鈥�911鈥� in the emergency phone number context.鈥� 鈥� nominator from Los Angeles, California.

Charles VonHout of Climax, Michigan, wonders, 鈥淲ho doesn鈥檛 have the brain in this transaction, you or me?鈥�

鈥淣o need to include the impossible choices, I鈥檓 sure.鈥�

Miguel McCormick of Orlando, Florida, should take his redundancy act on the road. He sent us some beauties.

Often used to suggest an increase in productivity or your product鈥檚 effectiveness. 鈥淲hatever happened to the word 鈥榠ncrease鈥�? 鈥� Lance Rivers, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淲hoever started it should be made to ramp up (walk) the plank.鈥� 鈥� Howard E. Daniel, Kailua, Hawaii

鈥淏anish the words, banish the shows, banish the people who came up with the idea for the shows, because there is nothing real about this form of television.鈥� 鈥� Mary Li, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

鈥淏e sure not to rename it the same name.鈥�

Miguel McCormick of Orlando, Florida, should take his redundancy act on the road. He sent us some beauties.

鈥淪neaking into sports programming to refer to 鈥榳inning all games.鈥� For example, 鈥楾he Jets have to run the table to make the playoffs.鈥� It鈥檚 football, dough head, not Casino Royale.鈥� Sent by Brian Giffen, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, who is also bothered by what he calls the proliferation of 鈥榞angspeak鈥� in sports broadcasts, e.g. 鈥榙euce鈥� for 鈥榯wo,鈥� 鈥榬ock鈥� for 鈥榖all.鈥�

The Banishment Committee pines for the days when our economy offered merely goods and services. Its usage especially miffs Greg Arens of Brainerd, Minnesota, who points out that 鈥減roblems demand solutions; needs demand fulfillment.鈥�

Overused in the news media to describe bombing campaigns. 鈥淎s in bombing a Red Cross building by mistake?鈥� 鈥� nominator from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

鈥淚f it is not sworn, it is not an affidavit.鈥� 鈥� Smitty Landry, New Iberia, Louisiana

nominated by many, including John from Medicine Hat on Lindy Thorsen鈥檚 CBC radio show out of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. 鈥淚t鈥檚 used as a weasel-word, as in, 鈥楾here might be some synergy between our companies,鈥� instead of 鈥榃e want to make some money off of you.鈥� It鈥檚 one of those words that鈥檚 used by salespeople the way a parrot uses profanities 鈥� they blather away without a clue as to its meaning.鈥� 鈥� Gervase Webb, London, England

鈥淎 favorite of politicians and bureaucrats, and used to make one sound smart. It comes from the Greek sunergos, which means 鈥榳orking together.鈥� Why not just say that? I鈥檒l bet most people using the word can鈥檛 define it.鈥� 鈥� Ken Marten, Hamtramck, Michigan

鈥淚t鈥檚 a blanket term used by people so they won鈥檛 have to actually articulate their business case in a meaningful way.鈥� 鈥� T. Conte, Woodstock, Ontario, Canada

鈥淣ot to be confused with the unprecedented old one.鈥�

Miguel McCormick of Orlando, Florida, should take his redundancy act on the road. He sent us some beauties.

Describes a student-athlete鈥檚 precarious academic standing or pedigree. Dangles dangerously into other areas of the 鈥榓t risk鈥� realm. Nominated by Dave Kudson of Minneapolis, who traces its origin to a recent basketball scandal in Minnesota.

鈥溾�楾o beg the question鈥� means to take for granted, without proof, the point at issue, but many people say it when they really mean 鈥榯o raise the question,鈥欌�� says Catherine Lauzon, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Also nominated by listeners of David Newman鈥檚 show on WJR, Detroit.

A one-year moratorium for this word. Pregnant with triteness. It should be 鈥渞eturned to the status it had before it became a vogue word,鈥� says Miriam Weiss of Astoria, New York. She adds, 鈥淏y all means, celebrate holidays and events, but there鈥檚 been way too much celebration of qualities, heritages, histories and diversity itself. I say, put the hats and horns away.鈥� Al Thompson of Cambridge, Massachusetts, says, 鈥淣ow, every human weirdness is cause to break out the ice cream and cake.鈥�

Citizens of Chad, especially those who are pregnant or born with dimples, deserve a peaceful and prosperous new year. Need we say more?

Narrowly escaped the list in 1999 and 2000. 鈥淣ow being applied to all women singers even though it once applied only to opera singers.鈥� says Art Bergeron, Chester, Virginia.

鈥淚 thought it was bad when I heard Madonna described as a 鈥榙iva.鈥� Since then, I鈥檝e seen promotions for shows on 鈥榤ale divas鈥� and 鈥榯ransvestite divas.鈥欌�� 鈥� Jennifer McGraw, Brevort, Michigan

鈥淓lton John is NOT a diva. He鈥檚 a GUY!鈥� 鈥� Lisa Sanderson, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

nominated by many. Follows 鈥榚-anything,鈥� which was included on the 2000 list. 鈥淪ince the Super bowl in January 2000, 鈥榙ot.com鈥� is heard at the end of every commercial!鈥� 鈥� Loma Lee, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

鈥淪omeone will mention a manufacturer鈥檚 new idea and someone else will ask, 鈥楢re they dot.comming it?鈥� or 鈥榃e need to 鈥榙ot.com鈥� this!鈥欌�� 鈥� Elizabeth Wiethoff, St. Paul, Minnesota

鈥淢y students found it to be one of the most egregious catch-phrases of the year.鈥� 鈥� Harry Coffill, E. Grand Rapids Public Schools, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Made even more popular by recent Hollywood creations. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe you haven鈥檛 banished it already!鈥� said Adam Santi, of Sioux City, Iowa, after noticing that it isn鈥檛 on our compiled list.

鈥淥ne of the more glaring examples of adolescent lingo,鈥� said Tim Campbell, father of six teenagers in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Straight out of some sci-fi thriller. 鈥淪ome of the news and sports networks have adopted this as a cute come-on for trivia. 鈥楬ave you fed your factoid today?鈥欌�� asks Charles E. Schermerhorn, Lompoc, California.

Redundant usage 鈥� 10-yard penalty.

鈥淚f it is a false start, it would inherently be prior to the snap of a football, before the action starts,鈥� mentions Sue Golbiw of Royal Oak, Michigan.

鈥淎ren鈥檛 all destinations final? (I can鈥檛 take credit for this. I heard it from George Carlin!)鈥� 鈥� Justin Meilstrup, Marquette, Michigan

Perhaps the leg muscles aren鈥檛 involved. Jon Reynolds of Lansing, Michigan, nominated this with football sportscasters in mind.

Gets a four-year term limit. Unleashed during a presidential debate, this sound bite could live again during upcoming tax cut and budget surplus fights. 鈥淔uzzy math is only used by people who are masters of it,鈥� says Bob Goodsell of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Let鈥檚 go someplace else with this one. 鈥淪ince most people travel backward in time, this is a valuable phrase,鈥� says Brian Fumo of Newport, Rhode Island.

An overused and often misused term in the business world. 鈥淚 think it is a false verbification of the noun 鈥榣everage,鈥� says Phil Rustage, London, United Kingdom.

鈥淟everage this 鈥� leverage that 鈥� It makes me want to puke. I don鈥檛 really know the new definition of this word, but I鈥檝e caught on (empirically) by hearing it a dozen million times from those suit-wearing marketing bozos.鈥� 鈥� Todd Ryan, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Todd performed an Internet search for 鈥榣everage鈥� and found more than 50,000 entries. He quit (and so did we) reading after the fifth entry, calling the lot of it 鈥榞obbledygook.鈥� We agree.

鈥淎s in, 鈥業 want to give you a heads-up on this,鈥欌�� says Hugh D. Hyatt, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 wrong with, 鈥業 want to warn you,鈥� or 鈥業 want to give you advanced notice?鈥欌��

Overused in business settings.

A modification of the 1970s鈥� 鈥楬ave a nice day!鈥� 鈥淚 went into a store to buy some feminine hygiene products 鈥� As I paid, the young clerk bid me farewell by saying 鈥楬ave a good one!鈥欌�� Have a good what?鈥� 鈥� Deb Captain, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

鈥淭he word 鈥榟ero鈥� has no meaning anymore. Today鈥檚 society has applied it many people not deserving of the appellation. Nowadays anyone who would normally be referred to as a role model is called a 鈥榟ero.鈥欌�� 鈥� Henry Sibley, Natchitoches, Louisiana.

One of the many words and phrases born during the 2000 presidential election. 鈥淚 heard this from many newscasters during the election brouhaha. Evidently, 鈥榤anual鈥� no longer means 鈥榖y hand.鈥欌�� 鈥� Patty Peek, Petoskey, Michigan.

As opposed to positive shrinking. 鈥楪ifted鈥� from the world of 鈥渕orons in three-piece suits trying to sugar-coat their incompetence,鈥� according to Kelly Hall of York, Pennsylvania.

鈥淓ither it is the only one or it is one of the few.鈥� 鈥� Zack Soderberg, Las Vegas, Nevada

At one time we discussed ideas. Nothing more than 鈥� bureaucratic bafflegab,鈥� says Brenda Skinner of North Bay, Ontario, Canada.

鈥淭his word means 鈥榯o strike with a long or wide sweeping blow,鈥� or 鈥榯o steal or pilfer.鈥� It is being used increasingly on credit-card readers in stores. From whom do the merchants want me to steal the card? And I can鈥檛 see where beating the card will do any good.鈥� 鈥� Laura Brestovansky, Dryden, Michigan

A dazed and confused word, usually tied into a sports injury. 鈥淎s if athletes were martinis,鈥� notes Kelly Hall of York, Pennsylvania.

鈥�24/7 is designed to make stressed people feel even more stressed. Although it sounds somewhat biblical, 24/7 refers instead to consumer demand for full service, 24 hours a day, seven days a week 鈥� something only a newborn should be allowed to request,鈥� said Kate Rabe Forgach of Sausalito, California

鈥淚t seems to be in keeping with the 鈥榠conification鈥� of our language, in which we exaggerate our achievements and abbreviate our terms.鈥� 鈥� David Tranter of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

鈥淵eck!鈥� 鈥� Kari Jastorff of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

We鈥檙e all 鈥榓t risk鈥� of being offended by this overused, misused phrase. 鈥淚t apparently means 鈥榟igh risk鈥� without specifying the degree or nature of the risk,鈥� said Calvin Baker of Elmira, Michigan

鈥淓veryone is 鈥榓t risk鈥� of something.鈥�

鈥淲hen referring to sports teams or team members doing well, as in 鈥楾he Wings came to play.鈥� What else would they be doing?鈥� 鈥� Ron Elliott, Leamington, Ontario, Canada

Another symptom of our electronic age. Proud librarian Cindy Dobrez of Grand Haven, Michigan, said she can鈥檛 understand why librarians need to rename themselves every time a new information resource becomes available. 鈥淎dd a few filmstrip kits to a library and all of a sudden you must be a 鈥榤edia specialist.鈥� Now, with the Internet, some feel the need to be called 鈥榗ybarians.鈥� Librarians help people find and use information in whatever format it is delivered.鈥�

鈥淥nce it was the second vowel of the alphabet, now it鈥檚 the base of the language of technology 鈥� Maybe e-commerce is the future, but e-tailers, e-trade and e-communication are all E-grad cliches,鈥� said Allison Woodworth of E. Lansing, Michigan

鈥淚f 鈥榚鈥� stands for electronic, what the heck is electronic-tailing? Sounds like something a 鈥�90s Columbo would do,鈥� 鈥� Kevin Dunseath, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

鈥淲hy not e-mediately for an online news site?鈥� 鈥� Kate Rabe Forgach, Sausalito, California

鈥淓-nough is e-nough!鈥� 鈥� Emma Sams, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Escaped banishment with 鈥榝irst time ever鈥� in 1982. 鈥淥ne might hope his event becomes an annual occurrence, but until the second year, it isn鈥檛 annual! Use inaugural, premiere, debut, or first.鈥� 鈥� Amy Carter, Indianapolis, Indiana

When used as an adverb. 鈥淚t鈥檚 overused by sports analysts, i.e. 鈥楬e can flat-out play/run/throw.鈥欌�� 鈥� Russell Bowlus, Davis, California

Overused by politicians, said John Dunlap of Westland, Michigan

鈥淲e must cut spending, or raise taxes, or limit any behavior, or pass any law, or go to the moon, or ban guns 鈥� .for the children.鈥�

And variations, 鈥榊ou know what I mean?鈥� and 鈥榊ou see what I鈥檓 sayin鈥�?鈥�

鈥淭his phrase is repeated like a nervous tic by some people even after the most simple or obvious statement,鈥� said Joe Szymanski of Baltimore, Maryland. 鈥淚t鈥檚 likely I don鈥檛 (know what they鈥檙e sayin鈥�).鈥� 鈥� Len Nelson of Green Bay, Wisconsin

Everyone seems to have a bad case of 鈥榠ssues鈥� this year, along with influenza. It鈥檚 a strange way of saying that something is bothering someone. 鈥淚f people could no longer say it, they would be forced to articulate just what it is that is bothering them.鈥� 鈥� Leonard L. Schakel, Lakeland, Minnesota

鈥淲hy must we all have 鈥榠ssues鈥� to deal with? It鈥檚 vague, undefined and typically used in the wrong context.鈥� 鈥� Rhonda Kitter, Anchorage, Alaska

Similar to 鈥榳in-win,鈥� banished in 1993. 鈥淎pparently applicable to almost any situation and meant to fill the same niche for American youth as 鈥榥o worries鈥� does for Australians. If I hear my employees use it, they will be fired.鈥� 鈥� Zachariah Love, Hollywood, California

鈥淚f the speaker is talking about a huge chocolate dessert buffet, then it is 鈥榓ll good.鈥欌�� 鈥� Cathy Cruz, from Wilf Smyth鈥檚 class in Stratford Central Secondary School, Stratford, Ontario, Canada

and the variations: 鈥榯he next millennium,鈥� 鈥榯he new millennium,鈥� 鈥榠nto the next millennium,鈥� 鈥榤illennium bug.鈥� 鈥淚t is the convenient topic for every graduation speech, every excuse to renew or to do anything,鈥� said Lois Linnert of New York, New York.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been attached to every promotion, ad, event that you can think of,鈥� said Dave of Duluth, Minnesota.

Kevin Chu of Cupertino, California听said it goes hand-in-hand with the hype of Y2K, and Elaine Gosling of London, England, said, 鈥淚f I wanted to be really grumpy I could point out that the millennium is not a moment which occurs at the end of the year, but a full thousand years!鈥�

As in, 鈥楾his is a quality of life issue!鈥� 鈥淭his political platform or non-platform is making its way into candidacies from municipal courts to the presidency,鈥� said Ron Statler of Fresno, California.

Nominated by David Newman of WJR-AM, Detroit, and Carrie Zollner, of Rochester, Michigan, who said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 an overused excuse for driving like a maniac.鈥�

It is used to mean a 鈥榙ramatic change鈥� or a 鈥榞roundswell of support.鈥� According to Webster鈥檚, it is an archaic term that really means 鈥渁 change brought about by the sea.鈥�

鈥淥riginally a musical term, now used in everyday speech. It鈥檚 just pompous and pretentious,鈥� said Ken Scholz of Naperville, Illinois.

鈥淓veryone is using it, even when inappropriate: 鈥楨xcuse me while I segue into another topic.鈥� 鈥� Karen of Ballwin, Missouri.

鈥淚f I hear one more person on TV say this, I will throw up.鈥� 鈥� Joanne Smith, Lincoln, Nebraska.

鈥淎nother overused phrase that unimaginative people use when they want to sound creative.鈥� 鈥� Kevin Dunseath of Calgary, Alberta, Canada

鈥淲hen we were delegating projects at a marketing meeting, I was asked if I could 鈥榓ction鈥� a particular item on the list, meaning, could I take care of it?鈥� I think the problem started when 鈥榓ction items鈥� became a popular way of describing high priority tasks.鈥� 鈥� Deborah Guyer, Cranford, New Jersey

Another from the business world. Maybe the e-business world. Pam Derringer of Marblehead,听Massachusetts, said software companies are guilty of starting it.

Pete Eckholm of Rochester, Minnesota听said, 鈥淚n today鈥檚 business world, everyone is solutioning a problem rather than solving it.鈥�

Widely used when talking about adventurers climbing to the top of a mountain, i.e. 鈥淭he party hopes to summit Mt. Everest tomorrow.鈥� 鈥� sent via e-mail from P. Haddox.

It started in business and, much like 鈥榙own-sizing,鈥� it鈥檚 often used to hide an ugly fact, said Julio Vega of San Jose, California.

For example, 鈥楿nit H is transitioning away from the company,鈥� means the department is being closed. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 wrong with 鈥榤ake a transition鈥�?鈥� asks Celia Smith of Atlanta, Georgia.

Not limited to late-sleepers in hotels, anymore, 鈥榳ake-up call鈥� is used to mean 鈥榓 warning,鈥� as in, 鈥楾his incident sends a wake-up call to Americans who haven鈥檛 been paying attention to quality-of-life issues for the at-risk children.鈥� Both 鈥榮ea change鈥� and 鈥榳ake-up call鈥� were nominated by many folks, including listeners of David Newman鈥檚 radio show on WJR in Detroit.

Overused in advertising. 鈥淎s if there鈥檚 any other way,鈥� says Eric Zonyk of Charlotte, Michigan.

Used by many to summarize a conversation or debate, as in 鈥榓t the end of the day, it鈥檚 all about family values.鈥� 鈥淯sed by political pundits. This is often recited on evening cable talk shows when the hosts are explaining why, 鈥榓t the end of the day, the President will not be impeached.鈥� That may have been true for a particular day, but it did not stand the test of time. 鈥� Mike McElroy, Good Hart, Michigan

鈥淗ollywood types and Washington bureaucrats seem unable to say 鈥榝inally鈥� or 鈥榠n the end.鈥� 鈥� Randall Heeres, English Dept., Northern Michigan Christian H.S., McBain, Michigan

鈥淣eed I say more? The world has been plagued with the sound of these words for too long. And the mental image that accompanies the phrase?鈥� 鈥� Heather Newburg, LSSU, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Every year, folks ask for banishment of new words created by bureaucracies. The words were cast under the category *bureaucrap鈥� in the late 1980s. This year, Jessica Stanaway of LSSU spotted the word 鈥榚quivalating鈥� in an electronic mail note from a colleague on one of the many Internet listservs for college and university workers. In this case, the noun 鈥榚quivalent鈥� was turned into a verb. The same note included 鈥榳orkaround,鈥� a compound non-word used in place of 鈥榮olution鈥�.

Al Schut of Muskegon, Michigan, wonders when unsolicited sales calls are ever considered a courtesy.

(Sometimes pronounced with both syllables drawn out)

Nominated by many for over-use 鈥渘ot as a greeting, but as a condescending comment 鈥� a lazy approach to a comeback.鈥� Used often with the ever popular (and banished) 鈥榙uh!鈥� 鈥� Christine Caruso, St. Anne High School, Ontario, Canada

Overused by many in conversation, especially teenagers. 鈥業 am SO not into that.鈥� 鈥楾hat outfit is SO not you.鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 used too much and not in the right context.鈥� 鈥� Lissa Sanchioni, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

鈥淎thletes are always stepping up鈥� when all they mean is that some player needs to play better than usual. At halftime, coaches are always telling us their team needs to 鈥榮tep it up鈥� or a player needs to 鈥榮tep up鈥� for the team to win.鈥� 鈥� Randy Heeres, McBain, Michigan

鈥淚f you do poorly, do you 鈥榮tep down?鈥� Athletes, do your best. Forget 鈥榮tepping up.鈥欌�� 鈥� Jim Keith, English Teacher, Buckeye H.S., Medina, Ohio

Douglas Pearson of Lansing, Michigan is stunned by the frequency at which 鈥榮tun鈥� or 鈥榮tunned鈥� shows up in headlines on sports stories these days. He sent many examples 鈥� 鈥楥anucks stun Wings鈥� 鈥� and more. The Wings may have been angry, disappointed or, perhaps, frustrated, but probably not stunned. Pearson鈥檚 stunning conclusion: 鈥淭he backwards version of stun is nuts.鈥欌��

Overused by many, especially teenagers, to look down on something or express dissatisfaction or disagreement. Lovers of the English language have long bemoaned the loss of the word 鈥榞ay,鈥� which went from being light-hearted, merry, bright or lively, to expressing a state of sexuality. Now we have a generation who knows only the sexual definition. 鈥淭he phrase is misused and offends people of that sexual preference. It鈥檚 not used in the correct sense,鈥� said one student.

Barry from Pinckney, Michigan says he is tired of hearing of all of the -gate words being created in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere. Examples include: Monica-gate, Zipper-gate, Campaign-gate, File-gate, ad nauseam. Canadians had Pepper-gate.鈥� (Sent via cellular phone through David Newman鈥檚 Show on WJR in Detroit.). 鈥淲e have long since achieved over-use-gate,鈥欌�� says Michele Utterson of Drummond Island, Michigan.

LSSU received many nominations from folks who are disappointed with what seems to be a trend of turning perfectly good nouns into verbs. Some examples include: 鈥榯o office鈥� 鈥� describing the activity of running an office. Sent in through the Internet by Russell King, who notes, 鈥淪omeone needs to suffer for it!鈥� 鈥榯o dialogue鈥� 鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a verb! It makes me want to go home and monologue.鈥� 鈥� Marion Boyer, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan 鈥榯o conference鈥� 鈥� 鈥溾�業 am conferencing with her tomorrow鈥� 鈥� What鈥檚 wrong with I am going to have a conference with her?鈥欌�� 鈥� Karen Cheadle, English teacher, Dansville H.S., Dansville, Michigan 鈥榯o mentor鈥� 鈥� Instead of being a mentor, now folks talk about 鈥榤entoring鈥� someone. 鈥淎nother infamous noun turned verb by creative (lazy) users of English.鈥� 鈥� Hugh Valiant, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 drowning in acronym soup these days.鈥� 鈥� John Charles Robbins, Petoskey News Review, Petoskey, Michigan

鈥淒o we need to abbrev. everything?鈥� asks Paul Beer, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Nominated by many for over-use, including Jason Alfieri, Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary East, Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada.

Sandy of KFGO in Fargo, ND was one of the first to nominate the phrase during a word banishment interview in January 1998, when she predicted it would be high on the 1999 list. She was correct.

鈥淭he word is a musical term which means 鈥榞radually increase the volume.鈥� It is not possible to build to a crescendo as the crescendo is the process of building.鈥� 鈥� Paul Kinney, Westland, Michigan

(To mean 鈥榯he greatest.鈥�) 鈥淪ounds stupid and makes no sense.鈥� 鈥� Chad Johnson, Port Hope School, Port Hope, Michigan

鈥淚s it going to explode?鈥� 鈥� Adam Trupish, St. Anne鈥檚 H.S., Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada

Michele Mooney, Los Angeles, California, sent many examples of the overuse of 鈥渆ver鈥� clipped from newspapers and magazines: 鈥溾�� drew its largest audience ever.鈥� 鈥溾�� the best film adaptation of a John Grisham novel ever!鈥� 鈥淚t will be the first public display ever for the staff.鈥� 鈥淭he first-ever DNA extracted from Neanderthal bone 鈥︹�� 鈥淚t was the largest gay and lesbian event ever in Alabama history.鈥�

鈥淯sed to seduce people into thinking they鈥檙e not really gambling.鈥� 鈥� Gene Quinn, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

鈥淭his group needs a real name now. Unfortunately there aren鈥檛 any 鈥榵鈥� words that would do the job. How about generation XOXO?鈥� 鈥� Michelle Batterbee Fox, Ellsworth Community Schools, Ellsworth, Michigan

When considering the salaries paid to professional athletes many folks may start to expect that extra 10 percent. 鈥� Mark Terwilliger, LSSU math professor

鈥淲henever a well-known person dies, television news reporters tell the story: 鈥楯oe Blow is dead tonight at the age of 85.鈥� Do they expect his condition to change by morning? I have heard of one such case, but even that took three days.鈥� 鈥� David Downing, St. Paul, Minnesota

鈥淪tudents and adults sound infantile when using this to apologize for a mistake.鈥� 鈥� Elizabeth Philips, English Dept., Cardinal Mooney Catholic H.S., Marine City, Michigan and many others

鈥淎 planerese鈥� word. These folks do not give up. It supposedly means to make normal 鈥� 鈥業n a systems evolution concept of storming, forming, and norming 鈥︹�欌�� 鈥� Huon Newburg, New Ulm, Minnesota

鈥淚t was a funny movie; now people use it everywhere.鈥� 鈥� Mandy Denick, Thornapple Kellogg H.S., Middleville, Michigan

Nominated by others, including The Flint [Mich.] Journal鈥檚 Jeff Karoub, who says 鈥淚t鈥檚 destined to be the 鈥榃here鈥檚 the beef?鈥� of the 90s.鈥�

and variations of the expression used when someone doesn鈥檛 want to listen to what is being presented to him or her: 鈥淭alk to the hand, 鈥榗uz the face don鈥檛 want to hear it.鈥� 鈥淭alk to the left (hand), because you know I鈥檓 right.鈥� 鈥淭alk to the back, because you鈥檙e not good enough for the front.鈥� 鈥� Christine Tankersley, St. Mary鈥檚 Cathedral H.S., Gaylord, Michigan. Nominated by many others in Canada and the U.S.

鈥淎s in, 鈥業f we increase our focus and intensity, we can take it to the next level.鈥� This has seeped out of the mouths of coaches and athletes and crept into the parlance of too many sportscasters and writers.鈥� 鈥� Jeff Karoub, Flint, Michigan

Sometimes shortened to 鈥榮up? 鈥淓veryone uses it just to start up a conversation.鈥� 鈥� Carali McCall, Seaforth District H.S., Seaforth, Ontario, Canada

鈥淛ust say hello.鈥� 鈥� Tim Nelson, Mackinaw City H.S., Mackinaw City, Michigan

鈥淚t鈥檚 passe.鈥� 鈥� Greg Arceri, Northville, Michigan. Nominated by many others.

鈥淎n annoying way of making a long story short,鈥� 鈥� Richard Young, Nicolet H.S., Glendale,听Wisconsin

鈥淯sed instead of 鈥榓nd so on.鈥欌�� 鈥� R. Forrest, Tempe, Arizona

鈥淭his catchy word can be found on the labels of everything from shampoo bottles to air fresheners. If it鈥檚 truly 鈥榯herapy鈥�, perhaps I should come at a higher price.鈥� 鈥� Michelle Batterbee Fox, Ellsworth School teacher, Ellsworth, Michigan

Slang expression used when someone has stated something obvious, or something dumb. May be used interchangeably with 鈥淒UH,鈥� another expression which was nominated by many.

鈥淎 euphemism for an overbearingly aggressive nature.鈥� 鈥� Bryon R. Crary, Clark Lake, Michigan.

鈥淢om Thing, Dad thing, Kid thing, Right thing, Word Banishment thing鈥� Nominated for overuse and uselessness by Susan Elek, St. Clement Catholic High School English Teacher, center Line, Michigan.

Another gift form the talk show circuit. 鈥淕o where? Do what?鈥� 鈥� Pellston High School Creative Writing Class, Pellston, Michigan

鈥淚t may be alright when applied to computers, but not humans.鈥� 鈥� Polly Fields, LSSU English professor

鈥淎 worn out phrase which has somehow escaped the list until now.鈥� 鈥� Chris Gailus, Channel 3 News Guy, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Used with the hated 鈥榟e goes/she goes.鈥� For example: 鈥淢y son dashes into the room and he goes, 鈥楧ad! Dad!鈥� and I鈥檓 like, 鈥榃hat? What?鈥� The perpetrators of such babble should be locked together in a room, with their baseball caps riveted bill forward.鈥� 鈥� Allen C. Myers, senior editor, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing C., Grand Rapids, Michigan

鈥淚 am president and founder of the International Order for the Abolition of the Word Sloppy Joe. Its goal is to ban Sloppy Joe, Common Joe, Joe Blow 鈥� It gives Joes a bad name. You never hear of a Sloppy Steve, Ruth etc. Joes should never be lumped together as common or everyday. I therefore nominate 鈥楯oe Sixpack鈥�. Man on the street is good enough.鈥� 鈥� Joe Gallagher, Port Huron, Michigan

(Ed. Note: According to our Canadian neighbors, the Canadian equivalent to Joe Sixpack is 鈥淛oe lunchbucket.鈥� This would be included in the banishment.)

鈥淭here being no alternative, our overpaid athletes can safely offer to do at least this much.鈥� 鈥� Jack Dietrich, Albuquerque, New Mexico

鈥淎d nauseam.鈥� 鈥� Robert Sutherland, London, Ontario

鈥淒oing several things at once said it all.鈥� 鈥� Donna Gayon, Perry High School teacher, Perry, Michigan

鈥淏ig business word for having parts and supplies produced by another company.鈥� 鈥� Tory Cook, MCTV reporter, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

鈥淎re they talking about payment or package totes?鈥� 鈥� Paul D. Feedman, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淚t may have been a cool, trendy phrase in the 80s, but it is really annoying now.鈥�-听 Mark Terwillinger, LSSU Computer Science Professor

鈥淭his groveling by callers to talk shows accomplishes nothing, wastes time and places the talk show host and guests in an (undeserved) superior position.鈥� 鈥� Dan McManman, Nomad Lake Superior Charters, Ironwood, Michigan

Received the most nominations. 鈥淲hatever what? Whatever I want? Whatever I need? It doesn鈥檛 make any sense.鈥� 鈥� Rachel Bivens, Manton High School student, Manton, Michigan

As in, 鈥淪he鈥檚 the winningest coach in history.鈥�

鈥淥verused on TV talk shows and now it鈥檚 everywhere.鈥� 鈥� Lillie Taylor, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Instead of just saying, 鈥測es.鈥� (Ronald Donoghue of Farmington Hills, Michigan, said it had its origins of overuse in the film 鈥淩ocky.鈥� 鈥淎bsolutely!鈥� is another favorite nomination of WXYT listeners.)

鈥淚s it truly a new concept, like jazz, pop, country, etc., or is it an alternative to something? Alternative to what?鈥� 鈥� Beverly Meyers, Pickford, Michigan

(When referring to a criminal at-large, perhaps the term should be 鈥淎rmed and MORE Dangerous.鈥�) 鈥� Dennis Srednicki, Novi, Michigan

(Another entry from Blashill. 鈥淔irst of all, who cares? Been where? Done what? It is REALLY overused.鈥�)

Joyce Hennon, teacher, Michigan School for the Deaf, Flint, Michigan

鈥淭o get closure.鈥�

鈥淭o come to closure.鈥� (Several nominations, including Toronto鈥檚 Talk 640 AM radio and Pam Holmes, English teacher at Chelsea High School, Chelsea, Michigan 鈥� 鈥淲hat鈥檚 wrong with saying 鈥榝inish鈥� or 鈥榙ecide鈥欌��?)

鈥淚f it鈥檚 so common, why doesn鈥檛 everyone have it?鈥� 鈥� AP English Class, Maple Valley High School, Vermontville, Michigan

鈥淐yber-ANYTHING sets my teeth on edge. Writers try to outdo each other finding finishes or flourishes to the 鈥淐鈥�-word.鈥� 鈥� Michelle Mooney, Los Angeles, California.

(Michelle, a longtime follower of the Word Banishment effort, sent us a cyber-ton of newspaper clippings to prove her point. Among the cyber-coins: cyberia, cyberconcert, cyberspuds, cybertherapy, cyber mall, cybercommunity, cybernaut, cyberheaven, cybersea, cybersex, cyberpunk, and cyburbia.)

鈥淔or generations the term 鈥榯o bail鈥� had been universally understood. But Washington鈥檚 word merchants have recalled bailing. Official U.S. Coast Guard documents replaced the time-honored term with 鈥榙e-watering.鈥� Quick! Don your Personal Flotation Device (what we used to call a life vest) and, as the publication directs, grab a de-watering device and start de-watering our sinking ship. Our de-deaths depend on it!鈥� 鈥� John E. Bates, Jr., Warren, Michigan

Perhaps this qualifies for the redundant category as well as being overused: if it isn鈥檛 a deal, it鈥檚 not 鈥渄one.鈥� 鈥� Jack Z. DeLorean, Bloomfield Village, Michigan

鈥溾�� From the speeches of sliver-tongued speakers who have nothing to say, yet insist on saying all of it, and more!鈥� 鈥� Dr. Steve Person, LSSU biology professor.

鈥淲hy not just plain murder?鈥� 鈥� James Blashill, LSSU professor and chairman of Criminal Justice & Fire Science

(From folks who are paying close attention to Newt Gingrich鈥檚 speeches. They nominated frankly as overused by the Speaker of the House.) Gingrich used 鈥渇rankly鈥� 12 times in a late November speech. 鈥� Margaret DeChant, Boca Raton, Florida

(We heard from the educators on this one, including:) 鈥� They鈥檙e weary of hearing how to 鈥済row an economy鈥� or 鈥済row their employees.鈥� 鈥� English Dept. Chairman Doug Cartwright, Goshen H.S., Goshen, Ind., and Tim Clancy, Ishpeming H.S., Ishpeming, Michigan

鈥淚鈥檓 not bothered by an inanimate growee as the subject of a sentence: 鈥楾he economy grows.鈥� Nor, of course, am I bothered by a direct object which is living: 鈥榃e grow corn.鈥欌�� 鈥� Mary Schwark, Spanish instructor at Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, Michigan (None said they could grow and ironclad case for misuse, but all voted in favor of overuse.)

鈥淒riving forces within the automotive industry that continue to favor plastics, include: Lightweighting.鈥� 鈥� LSSU Alumnus Ron Bishop, Lowell, Michigan

(Ron discovered the word as it was used in the June 1995 issue of Plastics World magazine, by the way 鈥� congratulations, Ron. You were the first person to use 鈥榗yberspace鈥� to submit a nomination.)

鈥淢any companies are wasting incredible amounts of time and effort (and sometimes cash) to define these, with no noticeable benefit.鈥� 鈥� Meir Pann, Miami Springs, Florida

鈥淭his one really grates on my spinal column. I just hate it.鈥� 鈥� Eric Brooks, morning show producer at WEAT/WOLL Radio, West Palm Beach, Florida

(Gee, how do you REALLY feel about it, Eric? We heard from others who 鈥渇elt your pain.鈥�)

In spite of the attention paid to the O.J. Simpson trial, only a handful of trial-related nominations were offered. Most of the submissions were the ones you would expect, including: O.J. 鈥� for over-use. 鈥� Billie Rae Bates, Detroit, Michigan

(Many other readers expressed similar sentiments: 鈥淛ust say NO J.鈥�)

鈥淚 don鈥檛 mind following the game rules, but can鈥檛 I read a different book?鈥� 鈥� Norma Jean Acker, English teacher, Maple Valley H.S., Vermontville, Michigan. (Also nominated by listeners of David Newman鈥檚 show on WXYT, Detroit.)

鈥淲here is the 鈥榣ine鈥� that everyone is on? It sounds like someplace a fish should be 鈥� not a computer user.鈥� 鈥� Michelle Batterbee, Ellsworth, Michigan

鈥淎 truly Orwellian juxtaposition of words. They call it terrorism when perpetrated by freelance criminals.鈥� 鈥� Tony Pivetta, Royal Oak, Michigan

鈥淧lease stop revisiting issues, ideas, statements, etc. How about revisiting Aunt Martha?鈥� 鈥� Jack Pollard, Lansing, Michigan

鈥淧lease accept my nomination, due to abuse and overuse of the word 鈥榬obust鈥� (in the auto industry, only).鈥� 鈥� Rob Robinson, Livonia, Michigan

(Rob pulled nine references to 鈥榬obust processes,鈥� 鈥榬obust materials,鈥� and 鈥榬obust packaging,鈥� from the first 13 pages of the Ford Automotive Operations MS-9000 requirements.)

Angela M. Otterbein, Bad Axe, Michigan听(Many nominations for sidebar came from radio talk shows throughout the country.)

鈥淚n baseball, base-touching with someone is invariably a BAD thing to do, whether with a teammate or an opposing player.鈥� 鈥� F. Willard Brooks, somewhere in 鈥渃yberspace.鈥�

(Several others touched base with this nomination and want it struck out.)

Examples of its overuse: 鈥渦pscale homes,鈥� 鈥渦pscale villages,鈥� 鈥渦pscale, rural neighborhoods,鈥� even 鈥渦pscale soft drinks鈥� 鈥� Nancy Fletcher, Oscoda, Michigan

鈥淚t鈥檚 an old, overused, 1980s yuppie expression.鈥� 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the opposite of upscale? Downscale?鈥� 鈥� David Devries, Kalamazoo, Michigan

鈥淣o other word had dominated had. We鈥檝e heard Nirvana unplugged, Mariah Carey unplugged, even KISS unplugged. The word has spread outside the music industry, too 鈥� ever see the Muppets unplugged? What about T.V. Bloopers unplugged? It鈥檚 ubiquitous.鈥� 鈥� Jeff Barak of Minneapolis, Minnesota, through Brian Oake鈥檚 morning show on REV 105.

鈥淚s it, or isn鈥檛 it?鈥� 鈥� Jean Barnard, Lake Orion, Michigan

鈥淚f my call was really important, there would be a real live person to answer the phone, and enough people on duty do one would not be left hanging on hold and functioning as an unpaid telephone operator.鈥� 鈥� John Mertes, somewhere in 鈥淐yberspace.鈥�

鈥淲hen referring to disabled people as 鈥榩hysically-challenged鈥� or others who don鈥檛 fit into the homogenous mold of 鈥榓verage鈥�. What鈥檚 next? Why not classify short or tall people as 鈥榲ertically-challenged,鈥� or refer to homeless people as 鈥榟abitat-challenged鈥�? Let鈥檚 provide warm hats for the 鈥榝ollicly-challenged,鈥� How about 鈥榲ocabulary-challenged鈥� for the people who come up with these ridiculous euphemisms?鈥� 鈥� Anonymous, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Nominated by an exasperated Charles Rufino of Dix Hills, New York

鈥淧ut this in the Tired Metaphor Category: 鈥楾he senator hopes his constituents will 鈥榚mbrace鈥� the idea.鈥� To what degree can we expect the physical (metaphorical) action? A mild hug? A gut-wrenching emotion? Enough already! I鈥檓 claustrophobic as it is! 鈥� Tom Tucker, Grass Lake, Michigan

鈥淭he definition of 鈥榝amily values鈥� has come to mean anything that fits into the right-wing fundamentalists鈥� agenda. If you don鈥檛 fit into that narrow category, you don鈥檛 have 鈥榝amily values.鈥� 鈥� Michelle Barrerbec, Central Lake, Michigan

鈥淕iven the number of people who use 鈥榞iven鈥�. I must give in after much give-and-take debate and request that we give the heave-ho to 鈥榞iven鈥� with respect to the 鈥榞iven鈥� usage, even though it may be a 鈥榞iven鈥� a severe blow to their 鈥榞iven鈥� that some people will be 鈥榞iven鈥� a severe blow to their 鈥榞iven鈥� conversational styles.鈥� 鈥� Bob Tulloch, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

Where does it hurt? 鈥� Troy Voth, Great Lakes Adventist Academy, Cedar Lake, Michigan

Overused in the news and elsewhere. 鈥淭wo oxymorons showed up on the same prime-time news broadcast: humanitarian disaster and humanitarian one is the best kind.鈥� 鈥� Bill Fitzpatrick, Namaimo, B.C., Canada

(Editor鈥檚 Note: We鈥檝e also included 鈥淗umanitarian Aid鈥� for its redundancy value. If one gives aid, that person is most likely to be a humanitarian.)

鈥淧erpetuates the greed so apparent in our society 鈥� 鈥榗ompletely鈥� isn鈥檛 enough!鈥� 鈥� Linda Schwind, English Chair, St. Martin De Porres High School, Detroit, Michigan

Where鈥檚 my map? Can I pull over for directions? How about a bathroom stop? Are we there yet? 鈥� Peter Warner, CJOB Radio, Winnipeg, Man., Canada

The favorite nomination which seems to have escaped the list until this year. 鈥� Tanya Dugree, Kingsford High School, Kingsford, Michigan

Columnist Bob Cudmore of The Record听in Albany, NY, recently wrote: 鈥淏anish liberal or at least have it declared an obscenity, which is what the word had become. It鈥檚 probably better today to be called a Marxist, a Commie, a pinko, a fellow-traveler or a useful idiot 鈥�If liberal was deemed obscene by academics and dictionary-makers, maybe conservative talk show hosts, callers, commentators and politicians would be less likely to use the word 鈥� Perhaps then, instead of deploring an idea as liberal, conservative speakers would have to explain why they are against it.鈥�

鈥淭he word 鈥榤edal鈥� is a noun 鈥� but the misuse of this word by Olympic reporters had become even more common. In addition, I was stunned to learn from one of the Detroit sports reports that the USA athlete who 鈥榤edalled鈥� in the downhill ski competition also 鈥� silvered鈥�. Perhaps the athlete was dipped in a large vat of silver compound for that winning metallic glow?鈥� 鈥� Karen Gooze, Westland, Michigan

Do politicians know any other word to describe those with whom they disagree? 鈥� Rick Morrow, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

Meaning 鈥淚 have a busy schedule.鈥� Variations include 鈥淚 have enough on my plate,鈥� or 鈥淚 have too much on my plate.鈥� So eat, already! 鈥� Ken Behrens, WJBC Radio, Rock Island, Illinois

Nominated by George Drury or Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who gave special mention to 鈥渢hat Milwaukee favorite: Temporary No Parking Any Time.鈥�

Such as the claims made by certain advertisers about their products. 鈥淓ither it鈥檚 pure, or it isn鈥檛.鈥� 鈥� Wayne Montgomery, Goulais River, Ont., Canada

Michele Mooney of Los Angeles, California sent us this abbreviation for post-modern from a dictionary of L.A.-speak. It鈥檚 listed as a noun, with the following example: 鈥淭hat mini-mall is a po-mo mess.鈥� Honest. Michele sent us eight pages of examples which she had clipped from newspapers and magazines in L.A., where she says everything is referred to as either pre- or post-riots.

鈥淚 always wonder where these products come from: a post-mortem, perhaps? 鈥� A. Kozlowicz, Dept. Chair, Roseville High School, Roseville, Michigan

(Also nominated were post-modern, post-feminist, post-pubescent, post-shave healer, post-Cold War, post-boomers, and 鈥榯he post-thing鈥�. You get the idea: post in now post-use.)

(Or pretty ugly) 鈥� Nicole Crawford, St. Martin De Porres High School, Detroit, Michigan

This one is enough to make stamps come unglued. 鈥� Listener of Peter Warner, CJOB

Shawn J. Hunter, Heritage High School, Saginaw, Michigan

鈥淎s in 鈥榮oft markets,鈥� when describing a particular commodity with poor sales. Does this mean the steel market will be 鈥榟ard鈥� when sales increase? Sounds as if the executives are trying to 鈥榮often鈥� the news to shareholders if you ask me.鈥� 鈥� Ron Bedford, Algoma Steel Ltd., Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

鈥淯sed to describe a tie-breaking period in sporting events 鈥� but losing the 鈥渟udden death鈥� contest is seldom fatal. Why not call it a sudden victory (loss) period?鈥� 鈥� Tim Hall, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淎 delightful combination of oxymoron and mixed metaphor.鈥� 鈥� Leonard Wheat, Alexandria, Virginia

鈥淚 love food, but 鈥榯o die for鈥�?鈥� If something is that good, shouldn鈥檛 it be: 鈥渢o live for鈥�? 鈥� Lyn Satiskey, Raleigh, North Carolina

Another one which escaped banishment in years past. 鈥� Bill Bloemendaal, Holland, Michigan

鈥淎n expression used to describe a 鈥榝eel-good-about-everything-and-everybody鈥� state of mind, but sounds more like the result of having swallowed a gerbil.鈥� 鈥� Michael McQuade, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淲hen two or more automobiles collide, it is most often a 鈥榗areless,鈥� or perhaps a 鈥榮tupidity.鈥� It could be an 鈥榠nattentive,鈥� a 鈥榯houghtless,鈥� or even an 鈥榠ndifferent.鈥� It is not, as I鈥檓 certain police statistics will confirm, an 鈥榓ccident.鈥� Baloney. Either you or the other person had a 鈥榗areless,鈥� or a 鈥榮tupidity.鈥欌�� 鈥� Mike Raick, Bloomfield, Michigan

Submitted by Audrey Morley and Dr. Susan Branstner of 海角社区, who note that this phrase has appeared in the LSSU class scheduling booklets to replace the words 鈥� laboratory required.鈥�

鈥淥h, really? Not just some of the time?鈥� 鈥� John Rosevear, Milford, Michigan

鈥溾�� As in 鈥榓n historic moment.鈥� Commonly used by news people (print and broadcast). It鈥檚 wrong! If this abuse is allowed to continue, the next sound you hear from me will be an hiss!鈥� 鈥� Jim Wiljanen, Dewitt, Michigan

For over-use. 鈥� George Carlin, Los Angeles, California

鈥淥ne wonders where else the UN Security Council would meet; perhaps on a patio in front of the Empire State Building?鈥� 鈥� John Hershey, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

This phrase is used often in federal student financial aid forms and applications. 鈥� Tim Malette, Director of Financial Aid, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan

鈥淲hile death is certainly a serious business, if you are dead you certainly won鈥檛 be able to convince people how serious you may be.鈥� 鈥� Caleb Hartmann, St. Mary鈥檚 Cathedral High School, Gaylord, Michigan

鈥淏ury it. The dysfunctional family includes all for one reason or another.鈥� 鈥� Carol S. Smith, Fairbanks, Alaska

鈥淎s opposed to what? Gathered apart?鈥� 鈥� Don 鈥淪tring鈥� Kelly, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淭hat 鈥榞iant sucking sound鈥� you hear is air displacement as columnist, editors and reporters across the nation rush to their keyboards to make cleaver use of the phrase of the moment, 鈥榞iant sucking sound.鈥欌�� 鈥� Jodie Morris, Publications Editor, California Newspaper Publishers Association, Sacramento, California

鈥淲hat happened to 鈥榞iving?鈥� 鈥楪ifting鈥� is seen in catalogs everywhere. I wonder if the originator is someone who was not in this country born.鈥� 鈥� J. Gregory Winn, St. Paul, Minnesota

鈥淭o me, this means being able to hit your target. I鈥檓 tired of hearing how this will solve our crime problems, when it won鈥檛.鈥� 鈥� Anonymous LSSU student

鈥淚 think that using the masculine pronoun, when no gender is indicated, should be reinstated. Using 鈥榟e/she鈥� breaks the flow of a sentence, and teachers care more about that than they do about sexual equality.鈥� 鈥� Ines Quandel, Central Algoma Secondary School, Desberats, Ontario, Canada

鈥淧opularized after the Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas debate 鈥� It (supposedly) indicates someone鈥檚 inability to understand what the rest of us find obvious. 鈥淪enator Packwood just doesn鈥檛 get it.鈥� 鈥楽addam Hussein just doesn鈥檛 get it.鈥欌�� 鈥� David Goldberg, Ann Arbor, Michigan

鈥淗eard often from TV newscasters of the Los Angeles area.鈥� 鈥� J.A. Talbot, Grand Terrace, California

鈥淚f a waiter says he鈥檇 be 鈥榤ore than happy鈥� to serve me, I ought to expect him to clap his hands and jump with joy.鈥� 鈥� Stephen Mendenhall, Ann Arbor, Michigan

鈥淭his seems to be a Muslim expression. It became popular during the Mideast War and shows no signs of dying.鈥� 鈥� Leonard Wheat, U.S. Department of Commerce

Ben Szczesny, Muskegon, Michigan

鈥淪hips and trucks used to be 鈥榰nloaded.鈥� Let鈥檚 unload the use of 鈥榦ffload鈥� and only use 鈥榰nload鈥� when we鈥檙e referring to cargo.鈥� 鈥� Michael Eliasohn, St. Joseph, Michigan

鈥淭his has become the educational buzzword of 1993. I would like to see 鈥榩aradigm lost.鈥欌�� 鈥� Nancy Dean, Stephenson, Michigan

鈥淎s in 鈥業 want to empower a new paradigm of health care.鈥� It sounds a lot better saying 鈥業 want to shut down the hospital and let the people get their own aspirin.鈥欌�� 鈥� Bob Cudmore, The Record, Troy, New York

鈥淣ot only is it roundly mispronounced, but its meaning has grown to mean everything from 鈥榚xample鈥� to 鈥榗offee cup.鈥欌�� 鈥� Tom Rademacher, Grand Rapids Press

鈥溾�� when used as a verb. Remember when a party commemorated a specific occasion with celebration? Today the word (used mostly as a verb 鈥� Let鈥檚 Party!) has degenerated into a sorry synonym for getting drunk 鈥� in any bar, any stadium, any car.鈥� 鈥� Jan Shoemaker, English Teacher, Lansing Catholic Central H.S., Michigan

C.R. Penson, St. Paul, Minnesota

LSSU had received many nominations for banishment of this phrase and the 鈥渋dea鈥� of being politically correct. Some of the words and phrases banished during the past few years have been 鈥減olitically correct鈥� expressions (i.e. Fisherperson in 1992), but 鈥淧.C鈥� itself has been left off the list until now. Here are some samples of the calls for nomination:

James B. Whyte of Newmarket Ontario, Canada,听said we should continue to use, if not overuse, 鈥減olitically correct euphemisms such as 鈥榮trategically dehired鈥� for 鈥榝ired.鈥� 鈥� Used enough times as a term of opprobrium, even the most thoroughly sanitized euphemisms will start to stink, its rigid 鈥榗orrectness鈥� wilting in the light of the truth.鈥�

Tori Cook of MCTV News in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 overused. Besides, most people believe politicians are always wrong.鈥�

Michael Tardif of Lansing Catholic Central High School in Michigan seems to agree with Cook, and said 鈥減olitical correctness and politically correct are oxymorons.鈥�

Nadine Clark of Dearborn Heights, Michigan, said, 鈥淧olitically correct, politically incorrect 鈥� who cares?鈥�

鈥淐orporations don鈥檛 restructure anymore, they don鈥檛 change direction or focus (another buzzword), they all 鈥榬e-engineer.鈥欌�� 鈥� J.P. Squires, Omaha, Nebraska听(LSSU salutes Omaha, the residents of which sent over 100 nominations for this year鈥檚 list. They were urged to act by Omaha World Herald Columnist Robert McMorris.)

Overused by politicians who ask us to reach out to all sorts of people or ideas which may not be grasped easily. 鈥� Ron Karle, East Lansing, Michigan

Columnist Mike Royko, who found hundreds of references to 鈥渞eaching out鈥� in newspapers, wrote, 鈥淚 hope this column serves to reach out to public figures and encourages them to shut up about reaching out. This should not become a nation of groupers.鈥�

鈥淟et鈥檚 get rid of any number of politicians who use this expression, along with those who are 鈥榞rowing jobs.鈥欌�� 鈥� Joseph Barrett, Berkeley, California

鈥淎n unpardonable contradiction of terms by someone trying to say that information is limited.鈥� 鈥� Jack Dietrich, Albuquerque, New Mexico

鈥淯sed by Australia鈥檚 Minister for Employment, Education and Training in radio interviews in 1993 to describe cut-backs and job vacancies. The greatest insult since 鈥榙ownsizing.鈥欌�� 鈥� Edwin Maher, South Frankston, Victoria, Australia

鈥淢isused and overused. Once described inexpensive trinkets and toys. Now used in advertisements to describe 0 cellular telephones and 0 diamond rings. Stuff the stocking stuffer!鈥� 鈥� Trudie Mason, Derek Conlon, Murray Sheriffs, CJAD AM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

鈥淭hese are non-verbs which should be tossed onto the junk heap.鈥� 鈥� Larry Hogue, Corpus Christi, Texas

鈥淪how me a smart (good) one.鈥� 鈥� Frank Foley, Boston, Massachusetts

鈥淎 formula which seems to avoid such words as 鈥榗ares,鈥� 鈥榣oves,鈥� and 鈥榣ikes.鈥� It has a 鈥榟ired鈥� feel to it. 鈥楧r. Kervorkian is there for you.鈥欌�� 鈥� Ted DeRose, South Haven Public School, Michigan

Jessica Stanaway of Brimley, Michigan, nominated a word which is overused by sports reporters when describing a team which has won three championships in a row. We can鈥檛 repeat the words because it鈥檚 a trademark held by Pat Riley of the New York Nicks. Stanaway said whenever she hears the word, it makes her what to 鈥渢hrupchuck.鈥� (She wants to make 鈥渢hrupchuck鈥� a trademark, too.)

鈥淥verused and wasn鈥檛 popular in the first place. Sounds stupid and ignorant.鈥� 鈥� Joe Clare, Beal City High School, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

鈥淎s in 鈥榃ould youse like coffee?鈥� 鈥� Only in the North American vocabulary.鈥� 鈥� Tori Cook, MCTV News, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

鈥淭he former hit TV show 鈥榯hirtysomething鈥� convinced half of the U.S. population that they are victims of 鈥榓ngst鈥� or just 鈥榓ngst-ridden.鈥� Enough with the ANGST already. It鈥檚 making me anxious. Get rid of it. And banish the variations on the theme 鈥榯hirtysomething鈥� while you鈥檙e at it. I鈥檓 tired of 鈥� fortysomething,鈥� 鈥榯eenagesomething.鈥� 鈥榮omethingsomething鈥� has to give.鈥� 鈥� Tom Rademacher, Grand Rapids, Michigan

As in 鈥渉e died of an apparent heart attack.鈥� It鈥檚 鈥渉e apparently died of a heart attack.鈥� (Ed.: If the attack were apparent, someone should have noticed.) 鈥� Harry Shecter, M.D., Farmington Hills, Michigan

Should be banished as overused. 鈥� Norman W. Larson, St. Paul,听Minnesota

(Ed.: We鈥檙e reasonably supportive of this banishment as in 鈥淏ubba is arguably the worst place-kicker in the NFL.鈥�)

鈥淩adio announcers who use the phrase apparently are impressed by their own verbosity. 鈥楢s well鈥� lacks the succinct dynamism of 鈥榓lso鈥� and the punch of 鈥榯oo,鈥� which it is intended to replace.鈥� 鈥� John Pehoski, 海角社区 Student, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

For terminal overuse. 鈥� Sheridan Baker, Ann Arbor, Michigan

As in 鈥榟e鈥檚 doing cocaine big time.鈥� (Ed.: In the big house!)

鈥淐an you be cautiously reckless, or recklessly cautious? Let鈥檚 find a lessbombastic phrase like 鈥榯imidly hopeful鈥� or 鈥榟oping timidly.鈥欌�� (Ed.: We鈥檙e cautiously cynical that banishment will be effective.) 鈥� David McFarlane, Haslett, Michigan

Should be banished for overuse. 鈥淭he original meaning of this word has been lost in the media, which blithely gives us such nonsense as the ballet-dancing community; the stock-broking community; the international community (whatever it is) and, my all-time favorite, the intravenous drug-using community.鈥� 鈥� Eli Levine, Santa Barbara, California

As in a 鈥渉eart condition.鈥� What does that mean? (Ed.: We hope, hearts are in good condition.)

鈥淚鈥檒l connect or hook up with you later,鈥� and 鈥淭hanks for connection (or hooking up) with me.鈥� Good Lord, don鈥檛 tell my wife that we 鈥渃onnected.鈥� 鈥� J. Gregory Winn, St. Paul, Minnesota

It means down payment. Why not leave it at that? The only reduction is to your bank account. 鈥� Nell Gaball, Marquette, Michigan

As in artwork being 鈥渄eaccessioned.鈥� This is evidently considered a more-tasteful term than 鈥渄umped.鈥� 鈥� Gene J. Gilmore, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Needs to go. It isn鈥檛 in any dictionary I鈥檝e perused. Yet it is a part of day-in, day-out language.鈥� 鈥� Lisse Hill, Ypsilanti, Michigan

And other gender-neutral phraseology. 鈥淚 am saddened by the passing of MANkind, the huMAN race, the family of MAN, and never again being a chairMAN, alderMAN, or fisherMAN. Fisherperson is unnecessary terminology anyway, given that 鈥榓ngler鈥� already exists. Let鈥檚 get rid of 鈥榩olitical correctness鈥� and 鈥榞ender neutral鈥� while we鈥檙e at it.鈥� 鈥� W. Van Sickle, St. Joseph Island, Ont. Canada

鈥淚 reply: 鈥榠t鈥檚 being revised,鈥欌�� (Ed.: correct if addressed to computer operators.) 鈥� Wanda Johnson, Wayne, Michigan

When it refers to real estate. Example 鈥渉ome builder.鈥� Others: 鈥満＝巧缜� sales are up.鈥� 鈥淎n 18^th-century home.鈥� 鈥淔our homes were destroyed.鈥� These are all institutional references. It鈥檚 HOUSE, not home. If you 鈥渨ork outside of the home, 鈥渁re you employed away from your house, or maintaining the grounds at a mental institution? 鈥� Name and address withheld by request.

Used by persons with exceptional eyesight and questionable word selection. (Ed.: It鈥檚 correct if uttered by a person reading lips.)听鈥� Jack Dietrich, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Should be banished because it makes me feel abused, amused, misused, confused, suspicious, and nauseous.鈥� 鈥� Joan Niederhofer, Frankfort, Michigan

鈥淚s there any other kind?鈥� 鈥� Margaret DeChant, Newberry, Michigan

As applied to lay people performing any function whatever in church circles. 鈥� Carol Smith, Fairbanks, Alaska

(Ed.: Is there a ministry of snow removal, yet?)

Instead of memento. This mistake is more common in speech than in writing, but a newspaper wrote 鈥渙fficials wanted momentos carved for the 1990 Labatt Brier 鈥︹�� (Ed.: Sounds like a lapse in time.) 鈥� Roy Sutton, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Canada

鈥淭his is the most-overworked phrase in the English language today. What鈥檚 worse, it鈥檚 grammatically incorrect. Important is an adjective, not an adverb. Translation: this is important; this is more important. Everyone in the U.S.: scholars, media types, politicians, speech writers everywhere, abuse this phrase. Let鈥檚 consign this one to the trash can forever.鈥� 鈥� Dorothy Powers, WJR Radio, Detroit, Michigan

To mean bad. 鈥� Edward X. Tuttle, Southfield, Michigan

(a euphemism for fired)

Talk to Real Live Girls on 900- 鈥� (Would you talk to dead girls?); Done Deal: Is that anything like a dead lock?

When we mean supervise or monitor.

鈥淲ouldn鈥檛 summary or commentary be better?鈥� 鈥� M. June Dohse, Anchorage, Alaska

To mean good.

When used to denote ice cream, time, or merchandise of any kind. 鈥淨uality has non anymore because it鈥檚 associated with everything from groceries to services and most of the time falls far short of quality.鈥� (Ed.: This qualifies!)

鈥淣o doubt, higher education define, even quantify this term for their own use. But few if any politicians know what they鈥檙e buying with the growing billions of dollars worth of higher education services for which they鈥檙e paying. Teaching has become the principal outcome of education, not learning. You can validate this hypothesis by counting the words 鈥榯eaching鈥� and 鈥榣earning鈥� in news media coverage of our educators and politicians. This obviates independent learning capabilities as a desired outcome of education because it conflicts with the educators鈥� goal of indispensability. Ask a shop teacher what time it is and he鈥檒l tell you how to build a clock. 鈥淚s it possible that Lake Superior State is a covertly subversive organization? Do you have any idea of the hallowed institutions that are built on jargon?鈥� 鈥� Howard Garver, M/SGT retired U.S. Army, Urbana, Illinois

鈥淭he baseball term is short for 鈥榬uns batted in.鈥� Hence RBIs is incorrect. The term, after all, is not 鈥榬uns batted ins.鈥� Wally Joyner of the California Angels did not have 96 RBIs in 1991. He had 96 RBI. 鈥� G.N. Constable, Mansfield, Ohio

(Ed.: And, thanks in part to all those RBI, Wally signed a huge free-agent contract in the off-season with the Kansas City Royals.)

When we mean restriction.

鈥淓very time the body of a murder victim is discovered in the ground, the news media tell us the body was discovered in a 鈥榮hallow grave.鈥� What exactly does that mean? How shallow is shallow? Are murder victims ever found in 鈥榙eep鈥� or 鈥榓verage鈥� graves? Let鈥檚 eliminate the cliche. Either tell us how deep the grave was 鈥� in feet, inches, meters, etc. 鈥� or just report that the body was found buried.鈥� 鈥� David W. Downing, St. Paul, Minnesota听

鈥淭he author of an article containing both of these phrases is guilty of excessive pseudo gender sensitivity.鈥� 鈥� N.O. Stockmeyer, Jr., Lansing, Michigan

鈥淲hich is a pale redundancy when compared 鈥榯o return back again,鈥� which I have heard uttered on radio and TV broadcasts.鈥� 鈥� Michelle Mooney, Los Angeles, California

鈥淕et rid of it. Ban it. No one knows how to use it. It is a possessive code mark, not an expression or a word. You cannot purchase 24鈥檚 of Apple Crisp or 12鈥檚 of your favorite cold capsule. There are no do鈥檚; there are don鈥檛鈥檚. There are no MD鈥檚 with special training, nor are there CD鈥檚 all in one case. Clothiers do not sell sock鈥檚 nor do jewelers deal in 1000鈥檚 of items. You might as well banish the apostrophe. Too few Americans have the slightest idea how to use one.鈥�

鈥淲hen someone says that to me, it shows me he has already considered the possibility of lying to me and, for some reason, has discarded it. It also makes me wonder if he鈥檚 lied to me before, and now is trying to lead a more moral life. 鈥� Dianne Linden, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Ought to be banned, as in 鈥榣et鈥檚 be upfront about this.鈥� It makes me want to upthrow.鈥�

鈥淭his phrase is banned for overuse, resulting in uselessness. The principal meaning of viable is biological: 鈥榗apable of living.鈥� It has evolved to mean capable of actualization, hence practicable. But its overuse is judged to have degenerated from biological precision to banality. Terminate is viability.鈥� Whenever a politician, educator, coach, or policy analyst cannot explain the status quo, he claims to be seeking one or more 鈥渧iable alternatives.鈥� Few of these alternatives ever come into being. Everyone is seeking; no one is finding. Alternatives never materialized. Specify the alternatives being considered. Come on, Anglophones, give your alternatives names. Don鈥檛 lump or hide them under 鈥渧iable.鈥� 鈥� Prof. Justin Agony, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

鈥淚t鈥檚 political double talk, as in 鈥榃e must address that problem.鈥� Perhaps something would actually get done if people would identify, analyze and resolve problems, not just say 鈥榟owdy鈥� to them.鈥� 鈥� Jack Dietrich, Albuquerque, New Mexico

鈥淚f apartments can rent, why hire managers?鈥� 鈥� Nell Gaball, Marquette, Michigan

鈥淕et real! The only folks with wallets big enough to tackle America鈥檚 deficit are Japanese bankers. We all know how fat their wallets are from the interest alone! Add in new pork-barrel spending programs attached by Congress and what you鈥檝e really go t is a black hole/economic collapse/drag-down plan.鈥� 鈥� Nick Sawyer, Escanaba, Michigan

鈥淎s in, 鈥淭he snow is causing cars to slide into the center median.鈥� Where else could the median be?鈥� 鈥� Lucinda Gangler, Durand, Michigan

For planning, rather than dancing.

In the middle of a commercial area

鈥淗ollywood speak for 鈥榃e hated each other鈥檚 guts.鈥� 鈥� Dale M. Johnson, Cincinnati, Ohio

鈥淎bout as annihilated as you can get.鈥� (Editor: Meat means edible flesh. Only cannibals are known to find fresh.

鈥淲ith a certificate of authenticity.鈥� 鈥� Marie Pooler, Aurora, Colorado

Condemned

I usually won鈥檛. 鈥撎�William O. Marion, Ann Arbor, Michigan

鈥淎 most painful, ear-splitting speech affectation. A day does not pass without hearing it at least a dozen times from every politician, government official, talk show host, newscaster, sportscaster, interviewer, interviewee and pseudo intellectual.鈥�

(Editor: 鈥滻f you will鈥� may replace 鈥業n God We Trust鈥� as the motto for our 鈥榢inder, gentler鈥� and secularized nation.) 鈥� Adam E. Klafta, San Diego, California

鈥淯sers of this phrase mean 鈥榤ore hours鈥�, not longer hours. This is a clear corruption of language and logic鈥�(Editor: A longer hour may be 63 minutes. Watch out workers.) 鈥� Marty Bloom, La Jolla, California

Basement

To refer to a military action. 鈥淭his is far too friendly a description for a situation where people are being shot. Please eliminate it before we start 鈥榤opping up in the Middle East.鈥�(Editor: What鈥檚 around to mop after the battle? Can you mop-up sand?) 鈥� Rick Duerson, Escanaba, Michigan

鈥淕osh, even the prices are mouth-watering!鈥�

In a news release advertising a research journal from the Institute for Scientific Information, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Anne Woiwode, Lansing, Michigan

The misuse of this reflexive pronoun has been nominated for more than a decade and was banned in 1990. 鈥淧lease see Mr. Keating (Lincoln Savings and Loan) or myself for any large unsecured loan that you need,鈥� should be 鈥渟ee Charles Keating Jr. or me.鈥� What鈥檚 the dodge behind the overuse of myself? The diminishment of personal responsibility? Avoidance of incrimination by self-indulgence? The 1990 worldwide censure failed miserably. Empirical evidence gathered from the press, radio, television (including S-Span) and eavesdropping suggests that myself is disproportionately displacing me in routine usage. The displacement ration is estimated at 5000:1 and maybe expressed, and recalled, if not entirely misunderstood, as E=mc2. E (big Error) = m (me) c (compromised)2 Although no comparable formula had yet been developed, 鈥測ourself鈥� and 鈥渉imself鈥� are fast following 鈥渕yself鈥� into the helix of misuse. The reflexive pronoun has become a reflex. It appears to be overused or misused by all those who fear being labeled self-serving. It should be termed the 鈥渃ompromise鈥� pronoun. It may also be termed a 鈥渞efuge pronoun鈥� for those seeking to avoid personal responsibility and any for of accountability and prosecution.