Tags
Annoying Phrases, Grammar Pet Peeves, Irritating Phrases, Phrases That Need To Go, writers, writing
Certain phrases set my teeth on edge. How about you? These phrases are tired because we hear them multiple times a day.
What would you add to the list? Comment below and if we get a good list going (I am confident we will), I will do a second post and credit you for your addition.
It is what it is.
If it wasn’t what it is, what would it be?
My bad.
Poor substitute for saying “I’m sorry.”
At the end of the day . . .
But it is still midday.
He reached out to me . . . as in, “He called me.”
Rather touchy-feely.
Don’t go there.
Where would you like me to go?
Just chill.
How? Stick my head in the freezer?
I, personally think that . . .
~ Or ~
In my personal opinion . . .
~ Or ~
My personal preference . . .
If it isn’t your personal whatever, whose would it be?
The reality is . . .
Thanks for clearing up what is real and what is fake.
I literally (insert verb)
As in, “I literally exploded.” If pieces of you aren’t stuck on the ceiling, you didn’t literally explode.
I actually (invert verb)
As in, “I actually fainted.” If the paramedics weren’t called, you didn’t literally faint.
It’s all good.
No it isn’t. That phrase bugs me.
If you are interested, I did two posts (ages ago) on my grammar/usage pet peeves here and here.
Robin Coyle 
Pingback: I love Idioms « Robin Coyle
Pingback: Readers Weigh In On Annoying Phrases That Need To “Just Chill” « Robin Coyle
I didn’t enjoy grammar in school; why is it so much fun now? These posts are addicting and hilarious.
Ha ha! Addicting. I like to think I am addicting.
My humor is a tad off, but I crack myself up. I think my 4th grade Mrs. Lorman beat the fun out of grammar and word usage. I’m trying to put the fun back in.
The place where I blogged from July 2007 to January 2012 was always “reaching out.” I wanted to vomit.
It feels condescending some how. Like I am an invalid who needs help up the stairs.
Pingback: Annoying Words That “Like, Need To Be Banned” « Robin Coyle
Pingback: Vikki chill | Youkraft
Grins, I have another. To Much Information! When is there ever too much information???
Ha ha. I can think of a few instances . . . such as hearing about someone’s bathroom habits.
“I could care less.” Firstly, it’s rude, second it’s wrong. If you want to use this horrible expression, at least use it correctly.
“I couldn’t care less,” is the correct expression. If you could care less, then there is a degree of caring and your point is lost.
If you COULD care less, you DO. That bugs me too.
My number one peeve: LIKE. It’s inserted into phrases so much that the listener has to weed out all of the “likes” to find the sentence.
Take a deep breath and THINK, people!
I think that, like, gets my point across, you know?
P.s. I realize that LIKE is a word, not a phrase, but it’s still annoyingly misused and overused, and it’s chipping away at our language and our brains…bit…by…bit.
Since you’ve invited us to peeve away, Robin, I did.
And thank you. I feel better now.
“Like” is insidious. I don’t know if you saw my comment about trying to break my daughter from saying “like” every third word. It didn’t go well and she got furious with me! Do you suppose it will fade like (like used appropriately here!) a fad?
No, I missed that post–but I’ll look for it. 😉 I’m trying to break my kids of the habbit, too, and it’s not easy!
I think the “like” fad will flare before it fades, because I’m hearing more people in the mainstream media using it–to appear hip and cool, I imagine. So, I guess it will fade when “hip and cool” goes out of style and “educated” comes back into style…which will be about the same time that the aliens land and take over the planet.
Yeah, but when the aliens land they will pick up the “like” addiction and then where will we be!
Like, doomed!
Ha ha! Perfect answer.
I hear you.
(But do I really hear you?)
How about I feel you?
Yeah, thats another good one.
Wow! All these comments – looks like you hit a nerve.
My peeve:
Basically…
This did hit a nerve. Basically, basically is one of mine too.
I (literally) laughed 😉 Cool post!
But I bet you did literally laugh. I’ve been literally laughing at these great comments.
Oh dear Lord—I use waaayyyy too many of these. I’ll shut up now! 🙂
ODL (oh dear lord) may replace OMG.
“I’m just saying”… people use that like a shield. You’re not allowed to be upset with anything that follows or is followed by that phrase.
You are so right. Like an excuse for saying something offensive.
My mother finally told me the other day that it drives her nuts when I say “no probs”. I don’t say it in person, but after she pointed it out, I realised that I say it all on the time when texting or on emails.
That is because you are so easy going!
I’ll agree with your mom, Vanessa. I think that when responding to “thank you,” it is nicer to say, “you’re welcome” than “no problem.” Shortening the word to “prob” and adding an S doesn’t save it. So–there you have my peeve.
I don’t say “no probs” instead of “you’re welcome”, I say it in response to a request for me to help with something, like this –
MY MA: Next time you go to the supermarket, could you pick me up some of that tea I like?
ME: No probs!
I thought it was just a friendly casual response, but I am curbing it now that she has pointed out that it irritates her and replacing it with things like “Yes, happy to!” 😉
Well, hey–there’s nothing to irritate anyone in, “Yes, happy to!”
Add “just sayin” as well. Either you’re saying something or you are not. Don’t say it and add a nod and a wink.
At a job many years ago, I used to sit opposite a girl who was always saying “at the end of the day” as though that qualified what she was saying as a serious point. It drove me mad. I think I ended up going on a big rant at her about “which day, any day, it does not mean… etc”. She calmed it down a bit after that.
“Just sayin'” is like saying “hey, am I the only smart person around here who sees the obvious?”
Wish I could have seen that rant! I bet it was a good one.
“Are we on the same page” Business speak for are you listening and do you understand?
I hear you and I understand. Yup. Same page.
This is classic. I knowingly used “it’s all good” in my post today, even though it annoys me, but it went with the voice I used. I hate the adverb “hella” and the use of “irregardless”. Its meaning is too confusing to comprehend!
What is “hella?” Like we had a “hella” good time?
“Irregardlesss” makes my teeth hurt.
Yep. “That Big Mac was hella good, but the fries were hella salty.”
You live in a hella-free world? How did you get so lucky?
I guess because I hang around people like you guys!
“if you want the truth…”
No, I’d rather you lied to me.
Yes please. I love it when you lie to me.
This is the one I was going to type. When someone says. “Do you want to know the truth?” I always say…NO LIE TO ME….. drives me nuts LOL
And I think of the line from *A Few Good Men, *”You can’t handle the truth.”
LOL, that’s probably why people started saying the silly thing…
We can blame ol’ Jack.
Guilty.
Sorry to hear that. But I think we all are guilty from time to time.
Ya can say that again… 😛
Ok, I will. Sorry to hear that. But I think we all are guilty from time to time.
Oh Goodness Robin,
I haven’t heard many of these annoying phrases in four or five years. When you’ve had your fill of that sort of lingo, visit the Great White North, I still adore hearing “Pardon me” from little mouths up here. I used to use, “It’s all good.” at work when training stupid people a lot. I when turning someone down who asked me out. hee hee, that’s terrible! Love the laughs you give me 🙂
“Pardon me” is a lovely way to say, “what they heck did you just mumble?”
You make me laugh too.
You guys are too funny … that’s the annoying phrase … you are too funny. But really, you literally made me laugh. 🙂
Yikes. I use that one. No longer tho! However, we ARE too funny. What a bunch of sharp-witted people and everyone has literally made me laugh out loud. And I mean literally. I’ve chuckled all day.
“It is what it is” and “I’ll reach out to so-and-so” are my two biggest peeves on this list. I can feel my bile rising when I hear people use them. (But not literally.)
I bet it literally does!
All of these examples from you and the commenters make their way into our “speak”, then our writing… insidious little devils. Thank goodness for the Robinator 🙂
Ha ha! Robinator. I love it. I may change the name of my blog.
Yes, thank goodness these phrases don’t appear in print, yet. Well, “reach out” and a few others do in memos and such.
Oh, boy. I’m guilty of a few of these. It must be all the time I spend around teenagers at work.
I bet you stop yourself from saying them now, eh?
Ya know, I totally get you. What you said, it’s all good. The reality is everyone says stuff like this. It is what it is, you know? And man, your post is chillin’, like it’s way cool. I’m down with it ’cause you’re the bomb. You rock.
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 (don’t hate me. I just had to)
Brilliant. You rock too. You crack me up. “You rock” is one I do like tho! Ya know?
Ya, I know. I got your back.
Another good one! How did we miss that one earlier?
Fun as usual… here’s my contribution.
‘You may not believe in god, but he believes in you’
‘Bull’s eye!’
‘Totally’ As in ‘I totally liked your post’… which I did by the way 🙂
I see someone beat me to the ‘Everything happens for a reason’
And the grand finale… ‘the grand finale’
Like, totally dude. Rad. Gnarly. Fantabulous.
Ha! We could go on for days!
LOL… 🙂
The comments here are great. We are a funny lot!
most of us are writers or artists of some sort. We’re twisted. 🙂 It comes with the territory.
And at the end of the day, fast on our feet.
Thank you for the orientate – in your earlier post on this, which I just read. That has long been on my list of irksome words. Another is ‘back in the day’ – I don’t know why that one bugs me but it does. How about ‘high end’? Another I hear is ‘yous’ which, apparently, is the plural of ‘you’. Of course, I agreed with all the others you listed as well, despite the fact I am guilty of some … a few … gotta clean up my act and keep Robin sitting on my shoulder – 🙂
Oh, I’m sorry, I have to add ‘that’s special’ – that one reeeaaallly grates my nerves for some reason – you know what I’m sayin’? No, I usually don’t because you have not articulated yourself clearly
Robin sitting on your shoulder must get annoying!
When I hear “yous” I am reminded of the great line from “My Cousin Vinnie” when Joe Pesci says to the judge “yewts” for youths. Seen the movie? If not, you should! Ya know what I’m sayin’?
I hate it when people overuse like.
This post it so good like I knew exactly what you were thinking like. LIKE LIKE LIKE. Grr!
I tried for about one day to cure my daughter of saying “like” every third word. Guess how well that, like went?
I’m very much in agreement on literally–literally. I’d like to add “a whole ‘nother thing,” “could care less,” “Basically,” and in many cases “If viewed in this context.”
Basically is a good, er . . . I mean bad one too. “So she basically said to me blah, blah, blah.” Well, what the heck did she “literally” say darn it!?
Oh, my, I use so many of these in my everyday speech that I’m not fit to comment. Though hopefully, I keep most of them out of my writing. But even on that I’m not making any promises 😉
Many of these roll off our tongue when we speak but scream “delete me” when we type them. Ya feel me?
I so get where you’re coming from 😉
I hear you. 🙂
I’m very guilty of saying ‘It’s all good’! 😮
I can’t stand ‘Chill’. There’s something so fricking patronising. ‘My bad’ is awful because it’s reinforcing bad grammar! Don’t even get me started on ‘literally’…! As always, a fab listen, babe! 🙂
I’ll need to think up some more annoying phrases…. This is probably a UK thing. But ‘Soz.’ and ‘Laters’ just really grate on me. 😦
“Soz” as in “soz how’s it goin’?” And how is “laters” used. As in “see you laters?”
Soz for sorry and yeah, see you laters. I hate it!!! 😦
That sounds more like we Americans than you refined Brits.
It’s such an English thing! It’s always on Coronation Street (long running soap opera which, unfortunately I don’t watch anymore! 😦 )
Oh, you beat me to “I could care less.” Really? Then you do care! Pronunciations get me, too, like “Nuke u ler.” No, no, no!
Whatever. [That irks me!]
Yeah, whatEVER . . . she says with a flip of her hand. (How teenage of me.)
Our local news anchor said nuke u ler the other day. Really? Where did you go to broadcasting school, sir?
Some misspellings — I was excited. OOPS, (Instead of, “I’m sorry”)
I love it when you are fired up.
I’m a cashier — from other cashiers to customers, “Have a nice day,” instead of “You’re Welcome,” or even “Thank you.” Also, “No Problem,” in the same place. “Help you?” with no I, as though to erase oneself from the deed of helping. On a slightly different level, but still annoying, is the cashier who sees a line, opens a register, yells that she’s open and then accept the first member of the stampede, who has usually waited the shortest amount of time, instead of inviting the next person waiting to come over. “What’s up wit dat,” and “What’s up with that,” are simply ways for white people to steal another piece of other people’s culture. They can have it. The whites I mean. Oh, and why in the world do white me think they look better with shaved heads? Or buzz cuts, (crew cuts!) Every white male scalp I can see is uglier than the last — bumpy and lumpy, and just plain ugly. Only men with deep olive to black skin look good bald. Stop fooling yourselves!
I know more exist, I just need some time to think!
This may be the longest reply I’ve ever written, and I’m a long way of topic, (ways?)
but you’ve set me off and I’m so grateful! 😎 Have a nice day!
Love the rant her Judith! Saying ‘Have a nice day” and clearly not meaning it makes me cringe. Same with “How are you?” What’s up wit dat? Sorry. My bad.
Remember when seeing a man with a shaved head was unusual? Like a freak show? Only Jul Brenner had one? Now, even young men with healthy heads of hair shave it off. Oh, and I love that you went off topic. It somehow felt related to the topic at hand tho!
Sorry, Judith – I’ve just hijacked your comment. You’re so right. Misused prepositions really irk me as well… Of course I can’t think of many at the moment… but things like, “I’m on the phone” lead me to think, ‘oh, so is that why I can’t see it…?’ Lol!
Actually – Robin, I can’t STAND it when people SAY “LOL”. I mean, do it, don’t say it!!! Grr!
Thanks ladies, that felt pretty good! 🙂
This was a good rant! LOL, OMG, BTW, and WTF were funny for a while, now they are just tired. LOL!
BTW, I believe you are sitting on your phone.
Mwoh ha ha! 🙂
“It’s a heavy lift” – this seems to be a new one that is popping up everywhere and it is bugging me. People are talking about complicated subjects and they call it a heavy lift…is that just an attempt to make us all feel like they are doing real work???? Great post! I am guilty of a few of these so thanks for the reminder…
That is a good one! It brings to mind the opposite phrase . . . “low hanging fruit.” Like tasks grow on trees. Hmmm . . . given my to-do list, maybe they do!
That one gets me too. And it seems like tasks so grow on trees these days. Maybe all the low hanging fruit has become a pretty heavy lift! 😉
Weird. Your other comment didn’t go to spam but this one did. I’m glad I spotted it. I need you to come over and help me with heavy lifting and fruit picking.
I think I finally fixed the spam problem. Thanks for letting me know. I am always happy to help with the fruit picking but heavy lifting really is not my style. 🙂
Hahaha. I’m definitely guilty of using a lot of these.
A lot of people are! I slip sometimes and out comes a “literally.” Argh.
Pingback: Dotty In A Wordy Wind Up – Like A Coyle (THIS IS A FUNNY TITLE, I MADE MYSELF LAUGH) « Notes From A She-Hermit ©™®
“I’m starving!”
Hear “I’m starving” from the kids a lot? And right after they inhaled the pantry?
Not even the kids. My husband. To which I have to say, “Now, you’re not really starving. You might be hungry, but you aren’t starving.”
Sometimes he really dislikes being married to an English major.
He probably dislikes it when you correct him grammar too, right?
Oh, don’t get me started. Grammar, spelling, you name it. Example: he says “acrosst” for across. As in, “I’m going acrosst the road to catch that chicken.”
I mentioned “acrosst” in my post about grammar pet peeves. Makes me cringe!
Dear Robin,
“It’s not you, it’s me.”
“I’m not being funny but….”
(maybe this is a British one)
Love Dotty xxx
Dear Robin,
Another one, imported from America when Walmart bought our Asdas –
“Have a nice day.”
If I swore on other people’s non-swearing blogs you can imagine what I say to that. 🙂
Love Dotty xxx
I f**king hate that one too! That wasn’t technically swearing was it? Oh, and “technically” anything bugs me too.
Oh Dotty, It’s YOU, not ME.
Not familiar with “I’m not being funny” so perhaps it is British.
It’s very British I think..he he..I haven’t heard that in a while!
Maybe it is used here too, but not in my circles.
This is not really a phrase – it is more of a question, which, when I am asked draws my ire: “What’s new?” I hate this question and always dance around it.
So, what’s new?
Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
hA HA HA – YOU ARE HILARIOUS
I crack myself up.
me too
Ergh. At the end of the day is one of the worst offenders.
OK–an English one that bothers me soooooo much: “I couldn’t be bothered.” Not only do they use it too much, it shows lack of initiative on a grand scale. “I was going to cook, but I couldn’t be bothered.” Ergh.
I am prime offender for “Just chill”–I have to say it to my kids at least once a day. Duly noted.
“Honestly….” is another one. Was all the other stuff you said dishonest?
Related to “couldn’t be bothered is “I could care less” Doesn’t the person mean they “couldn’t care less?”
Maybe your kids do need to “just chill.” Summer vacation “ants in their pants” syndrome.
Everything happens for a reason.
How did I leave that one off the list!?