# Words you really hate **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 22, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555 "2004-05-22T19:14:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/1 "2004-05-22T19:14:31Z")
There are two words I really don’t like the sound of. Coincidentally, they’re both related to school, which I also don’t like. They are: [asymptote](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=asymptote) [proctor](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=proctor) They sound like off-key singing. _shudder_ What words do you hate? ---
**Author:** ![torie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@torie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torie)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/2 "2004-05-22T19:21:25Z")
MOIST! EEECCCCHHHH!!! So creepy sounding! Ick! Ick! Ick! ---
**Author:** ![Tuco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/3 "2004-05-22T19:24:36Z")
**Respect** - whenever I hear someone say it now, it just seems really, really tacky. “You should show me some respect” sounds too forced and corny. **Honour** - as above. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/4 "2004-05-22T19:30:22Z")
**Asked** - just because I CAN NOT pronounce it… comes out assed… ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/5 "2004-05-22T19:52:41Z")
**Guesstimate** because it’s NOT A FUCKING WORD!!! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/6 "2004-05-22T19:55:27Z")
“Actuate.” Don’t ask me why, 'cause I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/7 "2004-05-22T20:02:56Z")
**iontophoresis** ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/8 "2004-05-22T20:03:17Z")
> [@Flander](#): > > **Guesstimate** because it’s NOT A FUCKING WORD!!! If it’s not a word, how did you know how to spell it? 🙂 Normally I grow to hate words (or phrases) I see too often in the writing of coworkers. **Individual** , **assure** , **impact** , and **prior to** are in my semantic doghouse at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/9 "2004-05-22T20:05:06Z")
“Both”. Not saying it, but writing it and seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/10 "2004-05-22T20:11:25Z")
> [@Flander](#): > > **Guesstimate** because it’s NOT A FUCKING WORD!!! [Uh-huh. . .](http://m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=guesstimate) ---
**Author:** ![helieo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@helieo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/helieo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/11 "2004-05-22T20:41:31Z")
**Diva** - One of the most over used words right now, so much so that IMHO it has lost all meaning. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/12 "2004-05-22T21:12:44Z")
What I really dislike is mangled words - like ‘axed’ for ‘asked’ and such. Of course, the wondrous pronouncements of our fearless misleader, such as ‘nucular’ and ‘strategery’ are hilarious… **Althea** really hates the word ‘moist’ as well, and the word ‘panties’ I contemplated calling my musical side project the ‘The Moist Panties Experience’ :eek: but she threatened unspeakable damage to my anatomy and ego, so that didn’t happen… ---
**Author:** ![glass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac8455/32.png) [@glass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glass)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/13 "2004-05-22T22:42:10Z")
I hate the word “whatever”. Why not just give me the finger. Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/14 "2004-05-22T22:49:55Z")
**Utilize**. It has the same meaning as “use,” except it’s longer. Plus it’s annoying to look at. “Panties” and “moist” are pretty commonly hated words, especially by women I’ve talked to regarding words they hate. ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/15 "2004-05-22T22:52:38Z")
_Pamphlet_. I have no real reason for not liking this word, I just don’t. I also hate _specific_, but that’s because my mouth likes to add an extra syllable to the beginning of it. ---
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/16 "2004-05-22T22:59:05Z")
I hate the word _awesome_ only because it has been so overused the last few years. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/17 "2004-05-22T23:00:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Main Entry: be·lief > Pronunciation: b&-'lEf > Function: noun > > 1 : a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing > 2 : something believed; especially : a tenet or body of tenets held by a group > 3 : conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence > synonyms BELIEF, FAITH, CREDENCE, CREDIT mean assent to the truth of something offered for acceptance. BELIEF may or may not imply certitude in the believer \. FAITH almost always implies certitude even where there is no evidence or proof \. CREDENCE suggests intellectual assent without implying anything about grounds for assent \. CREDIT may imply assent on grounds other than direct proof \. synonym see in addition OPINION Examine this. It means:_a view based on evidence_, and it **also means** _a view accepted without the need for evidence_. BLAST!! Do you know how much confusion & philosophical error this must have created! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/18 "2004-05-23T03:18:25Z")
Kind of like “cleave” which can mean to join things together, or to separate them. I wouldn’t say I hate that word, but now that I brought it up, I’m sure someone does. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/19 "2004-05-23T04:11:31Z")
\Utilize\ and \crispy\, a pair of useless, overblown words that purport to replace simple, pleasant words of one syllable (\use\ and \crisp\). ---
**Author:** ![Standup\_Karmic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Standup\_Karmic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standup_Karmic)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555/20 "2004-05-23T04:16:05Z")
There is no word that I dislike more than “orientated”. Why add the extra syllable??!! “Oriented” isn’t good enough? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-really-hate/246555.md?page=2)