# English Words that Nobody Should Use **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 9, 2005, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606 "2005-03-09T01:23:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/21 "2005-03-09T07:56:59Z")
> [@TeaElle](#): > > Moist. The word has only one acceptable use: when describing cake. Otherwise, it should be removed from our societal vocabulary. Not everyone’s a gusher, you know… ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/22 "2005-03-09T08:12:55Z")
I hear the word **“edgy”** a lot in the graphic design field, and it grates on my nerves every single time. It makes me think of middle-aged corporate executives trying to market to teenagers. In my mind, anything that gets described as “edgy,” isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Creative\_Munster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Creative\_Munster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creative_Munster)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/23 "2005-03-09T12:28:32Z")
People who use the word conversate instead of converse annoy me. I’m not even sure that conversate is technically a legitimate word. ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/24 "2005-03-09T13:08:35Z")
grok I have no good reason for it but I hate the word grok. ---
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/25 "2005-03-09T15:42:52Z")
> [@Agent Foxtrot](#): > > Any word with “e-” thrown at the beginning to make it Internet-related. E-nough already. > > Adam Don’t forget the Unindicted Co-Conspirator, “Cyber”. And let me add the word “Zesty”. Used only in AdSpeak, it implies the same properties in salad dressing and bath soap, not a good combination. ---
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/26 "2005-03-09T15:49:58Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > I’ll start the ball rolling with “feckless”, which a friend of mine uses in almost every darn paper he writes. Like smilies, I will never ever use it except in piss-takes. I wanna know what you got against folks who got no ‘feck’. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/27 "2005-03-09T16:00:54Z")
Merkin. Both the legitimate word, and the bastardization of American to 'merkin. They just annoy me. Perhaps because it’s sometimes hard to tell which is being meant in conversation, which is just wrong. “I hate merkins.” Umm… Why did you encounter a pubic wig? ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/28 "2005-03-09T16:03:13Z")
I hate Notate. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/29 "2005-03-09T16:04:23Z")
> [@catsix](#): > > Pretty much any type of corporate jargonspeak bothers me. Nobody should say ‘think outside the box’ or ‘shift paradigms’ or any of those other idiotic buzzwords including buzzword. > > 😉 I used to shift paradigms all the time until I burned out my clutch. Now I’m a lot more careful about it. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/30 "2005-03-09T16:07:10Z")
> [@TeaElle](#): > > Moist. The word has only one acceptable use: when describing cake. Well, that and bints. I’ve one to add: “dogged”. Unless I need a transitive verbs capable of sniffing your crotch I’ll probably use something less… I don’t know… mammalian? ---
**Author:** ![KellyM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@KellyM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyM)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/31 "2005-03-09T16:10:23Z")
“Orientate” and “supposably” are high on my list. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/32 "2005-03-09T16:14:28Z")
Can I offer a defense of orientate? It’s perfectly legit - as long as it involves maps, compasses, and hiking. When it’s done indoors and sitting down, it can be shot, however. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/33 "2005-03-09T16:16:24Z")
> [@TeaElle](#): > > Moist. The word has only one acceptable use: when describing cake. Otherwise, it should be removed from our societal vocabulary. I agree completely. I’d like to add “delectable”. Just typing that word creeps me out. Those two are words that I do not allow to be used in my presence. ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/34 "2005-03-09T16:25:28Z")
I know this one’s weird, but I hate the word Commentator. They comment, they should be a commentor. Not they “commentated”, it should be commented. And a second vote for orientated. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/35 "2005-03-09T16:28:57Z")
I have two more. Comptroller- if you intend to say controller, say it. Comptroller is a ridiculous word. In the same vein- computer. Very few people actually compute with a computer. There needs to be a better word. ---
**Author:** ![LindyHopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/36 "2005-03-09T16:30:51Z")
> [@Sample\_the\_Dog](#): > > “the” > > You think you could get some relief. It’s “the this” and “the that” and “the, the, the” – newspapers, movies, TV, radio, everybody you meet, even kids, it’s absolutely nuts. > > I’ll be glad when this whole “the” kick just blows over. > > Sometimes I swear I’m gonna scream. You should probably change your screen name then. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/37 "2005-03-09T16:46:09Z")
“like” I have no problem when it’s used correctly in a sentence. Fine by me, everything’s hunkydorky and peachy-keen. When people use it, like, all the time, like: “Like, then I was going to the store, like, for some cigarettes, like, yeah…” Arrrrrrrgh! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/38 "2005-03-09T17:07:53Z")
I hate the phrase “next level.” > [@](#): > > The OralB ToothMaster[sup]TM[/sup] 9000 will take your brushing experience to the next level!!! ARRRGH! :mad: I hate that term! Not only is it a meaningless buzzword (buzzphrase?) but it’s an overused, cliche meaningless buzzword. ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/39 "2005-03-09T18:12:42Z")
> [@](#): > > I know this one’s weird, but I hate the word Commentator. They comment, they should be a commentor. Not they “commentated”, it should be commented. Now, see, I see a semantical difference between “to comment” and “to commentate”. A commentor is one who has commented, whereas a commentator is one who is commenting as an ongoing action. If we wished to bring in verbal aspect, the former would be in perfective aspect, whereas the latter would be imperfective. And while I’m posting, here’s one I forgot to mention earlier: _[To The] EXTREME!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606/40 "2005-03-09T18:27:32Z")
I can be quiet no longer. I have to say it. SURREAL I don’t have a clue what my problem with the word is, but, uhm, YUK. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-words-that-nobody-should-use/293606.md?page=3)