{"id":79916,"date":"2026-01-02T08:00:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T13:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wawa-news.com\/?p=79916"},"modified":"2026-01-02T07:10:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T12:10:19","slug":"lssu-presents-the-50th-annual-banished-words-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wawa-news.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/02\/lssu-presents-the-50th-annual-banished-words-list\/","title":{"rendered":"LSSU presents the 50th annual Banished Words List"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s time for a golden anniversary. Celebrating five decades of linguistic commentary, Lake Superior State University (LSSU) presents the 50th annual Banished Words List, a tradition highlighting the importance and evolution of language.<\/p>\n

What began as a whimsical New Year\u2019s Eve party idea in 1976, has grown into a global reflection on the words that wear out their welcome. Since former public relations director W.T. (Bill) Rabe showcased the first \u201cList of Words Banished from the Queen\u2019s English because of mis-, mal-, over-use, or general uselessness,\u201d LSSU has carried the torch.<\/p>\n

The entries continue a tongue-in-cheek commentary on language, catchphrases, and corporate jargon. Over 1,400 submissions were entrusted to LSSU this year, pouring in from all 50 U.S. states, and as far as Uzbekistan, Brazil, Japan, the United Kingdom, and many more.<\/p>\n

Here are this year\u2019s golden class of banishments and rationale:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. 6-7 (six seven): \u201cThere are six or seven reasons why this phrase needs to be stopped,\u201d says Paul E. from WI. The volume of submissions for this one could have taken up the whole list, at least slots 6-7. The top banishment this year, Scott T. from UT adds, \u201cit\u2019s time for \u201c6-7\u201d to be 86\u2019ed.\u201d<\/li>\n
  2. Demure: \u201cIt\u2019s very said more than very done, and we\u2019re all very done hearing it!\u201d remarks Tammy S. Often used in the phrase \u2018very demure, very mindful,\u2019 Madison C. shares that the overuse \u201cwaters down the real meaning.\u201d<\/li>\n
  3. Cooked: \u201cHearing it\u2026my brain feels \u2018cooked,\u2019\u201d groans Zac A. from VA. Parents and guardians led the charge on this one, with some feeling this isn\u2019t enough. James C. from WA suggests a ban of \u201call forms of the word cook,\u201d hoping that hearing them will become rare.<\/li>\n
  4. Massive: \u201cWay overused! (often incorrectly),\u201d exclaim Don and Gail K. from MN. This word\u2019s massive overuse has secured its place on this year\u2019s list.<\/li>\n
  5. Incentivize: In the longstanding effort to turn nouns into verbs, this is another culprit. Two separate submissions likened hearing this word to \u201cnails on a chalkboard.\u201d Patricia from TX asks, \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with motivate?\u201d<\/li>\n
  6. Full stop: \u201cFor the same reason \u2018period\u2019 was banished\u2026redundant punctuation,\u201d explains Marybeth A. from OR.<\/li>\n
  7. Perfect: \u201cThere are very few instances when the word actually applies,\u201d notes Jo H. from CA. Often heard during customer service interactions, Char S. from OH wonders: \u201cHow do they know it\u2019s perfect\u2026what does that mean?\u201d<\/li>\n
  8. Gift\/gifted (as a verb): \u201cI found this on the 1994 list, but it will make me feel better to recommend that it be included once again,\u201d reveals James S. from OK. Another case of a noun being used as a verb.<\/li>\n
  9. My Bad: In the 1998 banishment, Elizabeth P. from MI suggested, \u201cstudents and adults sound infantile when using this to apologize.\u201d The phrase hasn\u2019t matured in credibility since then. Andrea R. from OH shared, \u201cIt does not convey much meaning in the way of an apology.\u201d<\/li>\n
  10. Reach Out: First banished in 1994, this saying has strayed from the positive message it once intended to deliver. \u201cWhat started as a phrase with emotional support overtones has now become absurdly overused,\u201d asserts Kevin B. from the United Kingdom.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    That concludes this year\u2019s banishments. However, 50 years of lists have shown one thing: sometimes one placement just isn\u2019t enough. To commemorate this golden milestone, LSSU looks back at some \u201cRepeat Offenders\u201d that received multiple banishments.<\/p>\n

    Repeat Offenders: Words That Refused to Stay Banished<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Absolutely (1996, 2023): A favorite nomination of WXYT listeners in 1996. That proved not to be enough. A 2023 submission called the word \u201cThe current default to express agreement.\u201d Will it try for a hat-trick? Absolutely.<\/li>\n
    2. At the End of the Day (1999, 2022, 2024): In 1999, Mike M. said the phrase was used by \u201cpolitical pundits,\u201d while Randall H. attributed it to \u201cHollywood types.\u201d This phrase has the unique distinction of triple-banishment.<\/li>\n
    3. Awesome (1984, 2007): Elnora V. set the tone for the initial banishment, sharing \u201cI find it preposterous to believe that all these writers are observing truly awesome events on such a widespread scale.\u201d It returned to the list in 2007, with folks from as far as Thailand calling it \u201coverused and meaningless.\u201d<\/li>\n
    4. Game Changer (2009, 2025): The 2009 banishment quoted Cynthia saying, \u201cIt\u2019s game OVER for this clich\u00e9, which gets overused in the news media, political arenas and in business.\u201d This \u201cgame over\u201d would include another banishment in 2025, with Patrick from Washington, DC commenting, \u201cnothing is a game changer if everything is a game changer.\u201d<\/li>\n
    5. Hot Water Heater (1982, 2018): An anonymous listener nominated this phrase to Rob Westaby with WOWO Radio in 1982, asking \u201cSince when does hot water need to be heated?\u201d Decades later, the 2018 banishment reminded folks that a \u201cwater heater\u201d would keep them out of linguistic hot water.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      For half a century, the Banished Words List has served as a reminder that language is always evolving. Lake Superior State University remains grateful to the thousands of participants who share their linguistic frustrations year after year to keep this tradition alive.<\/p>\n

      To nominate a word or phrase for 2027, or for more information on the tradition, visit:\u00a0www.lssu.edu\/traditions\/banishedwords.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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