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Welcome to your GrammarBook.com e-newsletter.
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Worn-Out Words and Phrases: 2017
(Follow-up)
We enjoy helping you reinforce the way you express yourself with precise grammar and composition. We appreciate just as much when you join meaningful discussions about written language.
Our recent GrammarBook article Worn-Out Words and Phrases
inspired some great feedback about whether certain terms have outlived their welcome.
After reading and considering your thoughtful responses, we determined we
could follow our previous article with further review of the subject in two
parts: The first provides some starting alternatives to the hangers-on
we’d deemed ready for retirement. The second expands the original
list with astute additions from our readers.
Our aim with this topic is to keep writing fresh, distinctive, and pointed.
We understand several of these words and phrases may remain popular in
conversational use, where they often reinforce comfort between speakers.
They also maintain the flow of speech, which doesn’t always allow the
pause for deeper, selective thought that writing affords (although focused
and disciplined writing can often lead to more articulate speaking).
I. Alternatives for the First List
| Original |
Alternatives |
| absolutely (interj) |
yes; of course |
| alrighty then (idiom) |
okay |
| amazing (adj) |
stunning, wondrous |
| at the end of the day (prep. phrase) |
in the end, ultimately |
| awesome (adj) |
wonderful, impressive |
| by the same token (prep. phrase) |
similarly |
| cutting-edge (adj) |
leading, innovative |
| drop(ped) the ball (verb phrase) |
bungle, botch, fail to follow up |
| high-impact (adj) |
forceful, powerful, productive |
| holistic (adj) |
comprehensive, integrated |
| honestly (qualifying modifier) |
(strike as unnecessary) |
| it’s not rocket science (idiomatic clause) |
it’s simple, easy |
| just sayin’ (idiom) |
(strike as unnecessary) |
| literally (qualifying modifier) |
(strike as unnecessary, unless literally correct) |
| low-key (adj) |
mellow, subtle, relaxed |
| on the same page (prep. phrase) |
agree, concur (v) |
| paradigm shift (noun phrase) |
radical change, new belief |
| pretty (qualifying modifier) |
(strike as unnecessary) |
| really (qualifying modifier) |
(strike as unnecessary) |
| so this happened (idiom) |
(strike as unnecessary) |
| synergy (n) |
teamwork, harmony, unity |
| think outside the box (verb phrase) |
be creative, think differently |
| touch base (verb with particle) |
(re)connect |
| under one roof (prep. phrase) |
in one place |
II. Additions to the List
| Worn-Out Word/Phrase |
Alternatives |
| 24/7 (adv) |
always; all of the time |
| basically (qualifying modifier) |
(strike as unnecessary) |
| from the get-go (prep. phrase) |
from the start, beginning |
| hate it when that happens (verb clause) |
that’s unfortunate (or strike it) |
| I mean (idiom to start a sentence) |
(strike as unnecessary) |
| impact(ed) (v) |
affect(ed), influence(d) |
| in the DNA (prep. phrase) |
integral to, part of |
| it’s all good (idiom) |
good, fine, okay |
| like (expletive, e.g., it’s, like, all there) |
(strike as unnecessary) |
| my bad (idiom) |
I was wrong, mistaken |
| perfect storm (noun phrase, idiom) |
crisis, ordeal, quagmire |
| proactive (adj) |
diligent, motivated, thinking ahead |
| reach out (verb with particle) |
contact, connect |
| right? (idiomatic interrogative) |
true, agreed |
| safe haven (tautological noun phrase) |
haven, refuge, sanctuary |
| seriously? (idiomatic interrogative) |
(strike as unnecessary) |
| so not (expletive, e.g., it’s so not true) |
not (strike so) |
| sounds good/like a plan (verb phrase) |
okay (interj), agreed (adj) |
a lot/too much on plate
(noun phrase) |
busy, occupied, swamped (adj) |
We can all think of even more words and phrases that belong on this
list—or are working their way toward it. Together, as guardians of
good grammar and writing, we can lead in keeping a lush linguistic
landscape free of what can sap it of its beauty and strength.
Because of the e-newsletter’s large readership, please submit your comments or questions regarding today's (or any past) article through GrammarBook.com’s Grammar Blog
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The Blue Book of Grammar
and Punctuation
by Jane Straus, Lester Kaufman, and Tom Stern
The Authority on English Grammar!
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Wordplay
For our English usage fans who are also math enthusiasts.
Learn all about who and whom, affect and effect, subjects and verbs, adjectives and adverbs, commas, semicolons, quotation marks, and much more by just sitting back and enjoying these easy-to-follow lessons. Tell your colleagues (and boss), children, teachers, and friends. Click here to watch. |
