At the start of each year, Lake Superior State University publishes a list of ‘Banished Words.’ These are the words (and phrases) that have become hackneyed, tired, and exhausted from overuse, in the past twelve months. The university has been doing this since 1976 – and each year’s list is eagerly awaited by us wordies. The LSSU list of ‘Banished Words for 2025’ is now out, and it is, as you will see, a very American list. But there are items here for us to think about – and the added challenge of producing our own list of words to be put out to pasture. Here is the LSSU list of ten of the worst:

Cringe – as in: ‘It makes me cringe.’ A hackneyed remark these days. Everything in the world seems to make someone, somewhere cringe. Perhaps this is an age in which we have to record our physical reaction to those things we dislike?

Game changer – how often can the game be changed, and everything remain the same? Every small event or decision is now vastly overplayed by being described as a ‘game changer’. Yes, I’m happy to see this one go.

Era – the Taylor Swift word, based on her ‘Eras’ tour. It suggests our lives are now marked in ‘eras’, which is an absurd misuse of the word.

Dropped – movies, books, songs are no longer just ‘released’ – they are now ‘dropped’. As in ‘Warner Brothers dropped the new Batman movie over the weekend.’ Which is ridiculous.

IYKYK (If You Know, You Know) – yet another bit of texting slang, and like all of these initialisms is pointless (and largely meaningless). But does anyone, anywhere actually use this?

Sorry, Not Sorry – if ‘sorry’ is the hardest word, then this is the smart alec’s approach to avoiding it, by pretending to express regret and then immediately withdrawing it. My guess is that this is an age-dependent expression, never used by anyone over thirty.

Skibidi—a meaningless word employed as a noise of approval by people who are too young to know any better. Fatima Payman used this in the Senate, in a meaningless attempt to be ‘cool’.

100% – last year if you agreed with someone you expressed this by saying ‘absolutely’. Apparently this year the habit is to show assent by saying ‘100%’. This is nothing more than a mindless linguistic fad we would be well rid of.

Utilise – nothing is used any more, it is utilised (a more pompous way of saying exactly the same thing).

Period – or, as we would say in Australia, ‘full stop’. And I agree: it is irritating, so stop saying it: full stop!

When I posted that list on my website Speccie readers came up with their own additions. Wayne wants to kick the term ‘too easy’ well down the road (and, preferably, out of sight). Martyn is bothered by the use of ‘shipped’ when so much is moved by air, not sea. Don wants to get rid of ‘taken out’, saying, ‘No one wins anything anymore – instead, the prize is “taken out” implying some sort of petty theft.’

My choice for banishment to a distant land is the phrase ‘doing it tough’ – Treasurer Jim Chalmer’s expression of faux sympathy for the citizens suffering under his economic lash.

And what about you? What irritating word or phrase has got right up your nose this year? Contact me at the website below with your choice of verbal annoyance that should be sent into the outer darkness.