“Nature abhors a vacuum,” Aristotle once said, and the same holds true for language. If we detect an empty lexical space because we feel existing words no longer occupy it well, we will look to fill it, often with something that seems or sounds fresh within our current culture and era.<\/p>\n
For a time, we might embrace those updates to communication: They can make us feel original, cool, connected to the zeitgeist. Often, current language style will reduce formality of writing and speech through abbreviation, fusion, or invention of words. We assign labels for many as well:\u00a0catch phrase, buzz word, lingo, parlance.<\/em><\/p>\n As we\u2019re all aware, however, whether in fashion, music, cars, or language, trends come and go. Those with enough substance and utility might hang on; the others will simply complete their life cycles and then perhaps straggle a bit before fading into obscurity.<\/p>\n With you, we form a community that is focused on an optimal use of English. We therefore find it fitting to monitor words and phrases that have grown old or stale or may do so soon.<\/p>\n For a review of the worn-out words and phrases we\u2019ve compiled to date, you can visit any of our four preceding articles from 2017 and 2018:<\/em><\/p>\n Worn-Out Words and Phrases<\/a> The following table includes our latest additions to words and phrases on our radar of overuse or untenability so far in 2019. In some cases, you might still consider some of them useful or relevant when writing or speaking. If however you\u2019re particular about articulation that will endure rather than just conform to current style, you might consider alternatives that have maintained their lasting positions in English.<\/p>\n As is always our stance, we acknowledge that many of these words and phrases may linger in our lexicons and even still feel fitting in certain contexts. At the same time, as enthusiasts of clarity and eloquence in proper English, we can all be alert to our frequency of use and the more enduring alternatives.<\/p>\n Weeding worn-out words and phrases is a communal exercise, so we welcome your continuing feedback concerning both what we should watch out for and how we can all say it better according to the rich vocabulary available to us. Together, we can keep our writing articulate, strong, and timeless.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “Nature abhors a vacuum,” Aristotle once said, and the same holds true for language. If we detect an empty lexical space because we feel existing words no longer occupy it well, we will look to fill it, often with something that seems or sounds fresh within our current culture and era. For a time, we […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,12,53,33,23,51],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adjectives-adverbs","category-effective-writing","category-idioms","category-prepositions","category-verbs","category-vocabulary"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3027"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3027"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3027\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nWorn-Out Words and Phrases (Follow-up)<\/a>
\nWorn-Out Words and Phrases: Resolving to Keep Writing Fresh in 2018<\/a>
\nStill on the Stakeout for Worn-Out Words & Phrases<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n
\n Worn-Out
\nWord\/Phrase<\/strong><\/td>\nContemporary
\nMeaning<\/strong><\/td>\nAlternatives in
\nCareful Writing<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n in the wheelhouse (prep. phrase)<\/td>\n identifying something or someone as being in a position of strength or skill<\/td>\n skill, strength, specialization (use nouns instead of the phrase)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n in the books (prep. phrase)<\/td>\n noted, completed<\/td>\n noted, done, completed, finished<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n wrap one\u2019s head around (verb phrase)<\/td>\n contemplate, understand<\/td>\n consider, reflect, contemplate, ponder, mull over, understand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n thought leader (noun)<\/td>\n subject expert whose ideas and opinions influence other people, especially in business<\/td>\n leader, influencer, subject expert, specialist<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n ghost (verb)<\/td>\n disappear or abandon, especially as it applies to leaving a relationship<\/td>\n leave, disappear, abandon, flee<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n epic (adj.)<\/td>\n impressive, very good<\/td>\n memorable, impressive, exceptional, outstanding<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n so ye-ah\/ya-uh (interj.)<\/td>\n \u201cwell, okay,\u201d \u201calrightee then\u201d<\/td>\n (strike as unnecessary)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n I can\u2019t even (interj.)<\/td>\n I am losing patience, at a loss for words, annoyed about something<\/td>\n (strike as unnecessary)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n for real (interj.)<\/td>\n serious, legitimate, really<\/td>\n true, good, great(!)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n It\u2019s lit (idiomatic clause)<\/td>\n something exciting is happening and you\u2019ll want to be there<\/td>\n (strike as unnecessary)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n woke (adj.)<\/td>\n aware of current affairs, enlightened<\/td>\n aware, current, heard about it, enlightened<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n killing it (verb phrase)<\/td>\n excelling at something<\/td>\n achieving, excelling, doing great<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n suh, sup (interj.)<\/td>\n what\u2019s up?<\/td>\n how are you, what are you doing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n cray (adj.)<\/td>\n crazy<\/td>\n crazy, strange, silly, wacky<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n troll<\/td>\n (verb) follow others online, especially on social media, to criticize them or otherwise smear their image or opinion (noun) one who does so<\/td>\n (verb) hassle, heckle, hound, pester, disrupt (noun) heckler, hound, pest, antagonist<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n said no one ever (idiomatic clause [sarcasm])<\/td>\n negation of almost any statement\u2014 e.g.,\u00a0I love shoveling heavy snow\u2026said no one ever.<\/em><\/td>\n don\u2019t, do not<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n as to whether (conj.)<\/td>\n (unnecessarily wordy expression of\u00a0whether<\/em>)<\/td>\n whether<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n necessitate (verb)<\/td>\n bloated word for\u00a0require<\/em><\/td>\n call for, entail, require<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n on account of (prep. phrase)<\/td>\n because of<\/td>\n because of, due to, owing to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n with all due respect (prep. phrase)<\/td>\n polite set-up for\u00a0I disagree<\/em><\/td>\n (strike as unnecessary\u2014what follows is often not an expression of respect)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n It\u2019s not brain surgery (idiomatic clause)<\/td>\n the item at hand is not difficult<\/td>\n it\u2019s simple, easy, not challenging<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n get your ducks in a row (idiomatic clause)<\/td>\n complete preparations, become efficient and well organized<\/td>\n plan, prepare, organize, get organized<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n play hardball (verb phrase)<\/td>\n be serious or aggressive in response<\/td>\n resist, push back, not cooperate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n