Plague Words or Phrases to Never Use in Content or Marketing

Plague Word Or Phrase

Note

___ is king

A king? A prince? A President? Avoid using gender-specific or title-specific metaphors. They're confusing, often sexist, and overused.

Absolutely

Yeah, OK, absolutely use this if you need to emphasize. Or, use this if you need to emphasize. You make the call.

Absolutely essential

Nope, it's just "essential."

Actually

You don't need this word at all. See what I did there?

Advance planning

You're just "planning." I usually "plot," but that's kinda dark.

Advance warning

The opposite of "advance" warning is "I told you so." You can just say "warning"

And also

Isn't it and or also? Help me out with this.

As to whether

Lawyers. ruin. everything. I have a law degree so I can say stuff like this. I got a C in legal writing, by the way. Don't use this phrase.

As well

Have mercy: Use as rarely as possible. Try "Too."

At a later time

"Later" is all you need. We're assuming "time," unless you're in a parallel universe where time doesn't matter. In which case you don't need this stupid list, do you?

At this point in time

And yes, even more of the lawyer thing.

Basic fundamentals

If they're basic, they're "fundamentals."

Basically

Basically, this word's a waste of syllables.

Circle back

...

Close proximity

Yeah, if it's close, it's in proximity. Someone's gonna argue with me on this.

Completely finished

If it's complete, it's just "finished." Use a modifier if it's "partly finished" or something else.

Definitely

I'd definitely avoid this 99% of the time.

Dive down

You dive. It's down. If you're diving up, you're under the effect of a spell called Invert Gravity, and I won't lecture you because you've got bigger problems.

Do

There's gotta be a more specific word, right? Do please use it

Each and every

It's "each" or "every" but not both.

Each individual

Probably "each," right?

End result

Most "results" are at the end. Usually "result" will do.

Exact same

How about duplicate? Or same? They mean the exact same thing.

Exponential growth

"Exponential" usually means, "We have no idea if this will work." Stick to "growth" or get specific.

Fairly

Egads. I'm fairly certain this word makes me cringe. Unless you're dealing with someone fairly.

Filled to capacity

If you're worried about crowd size you can use this. Otherwise "filled" or "at capacity" is fine.

Final outcome

It's the "outcome." Unless it's a "partial outcome." Otherwise, it's final. Er, you get it.

Free gift

Marketing copywriters like me completely @#()*!@# this up. Just say "gift"

Get

See "Do"

Go

You rarely "go." You cavort, flock, run, drive, saunter, or catapult

Have

Do you really? Or do you possess, claim, clutch, grasp, stash, hoard, or own?

However

You can use this word. However, you avoid it unless you're juxtaposing or comparisoning.

In a world where

We're probably all in the same world. Only use this when dealing with interplanetary or interdimensional travel.

In order to

Again with the lawyer thing.

In short

It's shorter if you don't use "in short."

In today’s world

In today's world, this is so overused I cringe every time I see it.

Indeed

Please don't.

Irregardless

I don't care how many dictionaries add this word. It is not. a. word.

It goes without saying

If it really does, you don't need to say it.

It's important to note

What are you, ChatGPT? Would you write it if it weren't important? Just say the thing. Or "Note."

Just

You can be just; just don't use just as a way to start a sentence. It's unjust to your readers.

Kind of

This phrase is kind of unnecessary. At least use "kinda" because I like it more

Last but not least

Whenever someone refers to me as "last but not least" I know they mean "almost least, which is why he's last."

Literally

Literally as in "Dad, this is literally dumb" or as in "He took it literally?" OK if the latter.

Make

You don't "make." You assemble, cobble together, build, create, print, or munge

Mix/blend together

Just blend it. Or mix it. It'll end up together. Don't be pushy.

Moreover

Use this if you're listing reasons your teenager is about to be grounded.

Move the needle

Instead, tell me which way: "Improve" or "reduce" or "optimize" or whatever.

Myself

Try "I" or "me" instead. If they don't work, then add the syllables.

Necessitate

Nothing requires this word.

Needless to say

If it's needless to say, you wouldn't say it. So this is a fib, don't you think?

Obviously

Feels like you're saying, "How did you not know this?" Unnecessary word.

On the topic of

Unless you're a lawyer, "about" will do just fine.

One and the same

"The same" is, well, one and the same.

One-stop shop

Overused. No one says they're a two-stop shop. How about "complete?" Or "full-service?"

Open the kimono

10X cringe.

Or not

Instead of "We don't know if this will work or not" try "We don't know if this will work."

Past experience

It's just experience. Or ancestral memories, which means you're probably Bene Gesserit.

Past history

Most "history" is in the past. Use one or the other.

PDF format

This'll just get sand kicked in your face on Nerd Beach. The "F" stands for "Format."

Period of time

I kinda like this phrase, but "period" or "time" is plenty. Save me some time.

Personal opinion

My opinion? If it's an opinion, it's personal.

PIN number

OK, OK, this is a pet peeve. It's a PIN. The "N" means number. You're saying personal identification number number.

Ping me

Or pong me.

Powow

Cringe. 2X cringe.

Quite

I'm quite certain you only need this one out of a thousand times

Really

Really? Can't you just leave this word off?

Reason why

Nope. Just use "reason." Unless you're Tennyson.

Revert back

Please revert to leaving off "back."

Small in size

Use "small" or "smol" if you want your kids to look at you like you sprouted another head.

So as to

(Ian cries a little) Just use "to."

Somewhat

I'm somewhat out of clever ways to deal with these words, so maybe just don't use it at all.

Sort of

"Sort of" is like "somewhat." It's vestigial. You can remove it without hurting anything.

Successfully

Probably don't need this word. "He climbed Mt. Everest" works as well as "He successfully climbed Mt. Everest."

Take

You're way more interesting than this. You grab, snatch, snag, yoink, or maybe even steal

The fact of the matter

Maybe "in fact?" or just the matter itself?

This one trick will

Tell me what it'll do. Leave off "this one trick." Clear > clever

Total of

You can just use the number. It's OK.

True fact

Even these days, if it's a "fact," it's true. Just use "fact."

Unexpected surprise

"Surprise!!!!" You don't need to say it's unexpected!

Utilize

Even if you're writing a report to your boss, you can just say "use."

Very

Very often this is an extra word.

Very ____

"Very nice" means "excellent" or maybe "kind." "Very fast" means "speedy" or "quick."

What ____ can learn from ____

Tell me what I'll learn, instead.

With regard to

I can keep making fun of lawyers because I have a law degree, right?

Sublime

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