I'm a certified word nerd.
Well, I suppose I don't actually have a certificate. But, if there were such a certificate, I believe I'd qualify. There are at least 8 word-game apps on my phone, there's a supermarket paperback of easy crossword puzzles on my desk, and the Thesaurus.com tab on my laptop has never, ever been closed.
What can I say? Words are fun. Word choices are interesting. And word trends are often fascinating.
That's why I look forward to reading the annual "words to avoid" lists that are published each December and January. Will my own most-loathed nominees make the cut? Are there annoying phrases I didn't know I should stop using? Are people really saying "on my bingo card"? Really!?
If you're a fellow word nerd, here are three forget-you-ever-knew-these-words lists, ranked most to least favorite for 2023:
So, what's on YOUR list of overdone oration? Do you agree with some or all of these lists? Are you still planning to "circle back" after last year's "pivot" - or should we "take this conversation offline"?
I'd love to hear from you!
Also, I've just updated the B-mail Archives with my email stats for 2022 and goals for 2023 - you can check them out here.
P.S. If you've already had a long week and need a distraction, here are few clever words from Steven Wright, one-liner extraordinaire: