List of 25 Words and Phrases You Should Never Say


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Need some examples of words you should never say? Here's a helpful list of such terms. The words on this list should be avoided under absolutely all circumstances.
aforementioned This word is rarely necessary even when written; spoken, it sounds long-winded and pompous.
amazeballs Just say "amazing." This word wasn't cool even at the height of its use.
basic This word manages to be condescending and snobbish while making the speaker sound classless.
because those are the rules Instead, explain the reason for the rules.
Calm down! It's important to validate people's feelings, not dismiss them.
Come here! This can be intimidating. Instead, ask if the person has a moment.
epic The everyday use of this term to describe mundane things devalues it.
hashtag Save hashtags for social media—saying the word out loud is excruciating.
I can't even. Speak in complete sentences. The phrase "I can't even" leaves out the most important word and can be irritating.
I’m not going to say this again This is very rarely true and does not add any weight to your argument.
K Just say "okay"—it's only one extra syllable.
literally One of the most overused and misused words ever—only use this if there is no possible substitute.
LOL This has become a cliché even in text chat. Certainly don't say it out loud.
no offense If you're aware that what you're about to say is potentially offensive and you don't want to cause offense, try saying nothing.
precious Calling a person "precious" infantilizes them. If you're sincere, use a different compliment.
preggers This sounds silly. Just say "pregnant."
retarded This word is profoundly offensive to people with intellectual disabilities.
screwing There are much more interesting words to describe sex than this.
squee There are many better—and less silly-sounding—interjections and verbs that you use to express excitement.
sweet This synonym for "cool" hasn't been cool since the 1990s.
totes The fashion for abbreviating words by placing an s at the end had always seemed vacuous and is now also outdated.
very Always think about whether you need to use this word—it is often redundant.
What do you want me to do about it? Saying this will often only make the problem worse.
whatever Saying this will make you sound obnoxious, insensitive, or immature.
Why don’t you be reasonable? If you're trying to persuade someone of something, calling them unreasonable is the last thing you should do.



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