Most of these terms annoy me. Many more not mentioned here also annoy me. I very much dislike what we used to call “cliches,” and other trendy terms and phrases that get used as if they’re proof of membership in some sort of club, or something. It really messes up language and clarity, IMO. “Woke” is one that just irritates me so much I need calamine lotion. I remember I first saw the term in 3d grade, reading a biography of a runaway slave who used the Underground Railroad. The term started out in slavery times, with people of color-slaves, newly freed people-telling each other to stay woke, meaning be aware of your surroundings at all times because of danger. That was passed down the lines for generations, always meaning to be aware of potential danger always. Look at it now. I don’t believe woke should be retired, simply given back to those who need it. IMO! Anyway, on with the article; everyone’s mileage will vary (and maybe that phrase ought to be in here; I use it frequently) on these. Enjoy!
“Every term invented to get around TikTok censors.”
Heather Wake
It’s pretty customary for humans to collectively latch on to certain words or phrases for a time, only to grow tired of them once the trendiness wears off. That’s by and large how we get generational slang in the first place. One man’s “rad” is another man’s “bussin.” The linguistic circle of life, as it were.
But the rapidity of social media has certainly seemed to make this turnover move at the speed of light, hasn’t it? It takes a fraction of the time for words to get overused, misused, change meaning, and lose meaning altogether.
That’s probably why when someone on Reddit asked, “What overused word or phrase needs to be retired in 2026?” there was no shortage of passionate answers. From warped psychology terms to nonsensical Gen Alpha brainrot words, people delivered.
Keep scrolling for our favorites.
Sensational journalism words
1. ’Slammed’ by the news.”
2. “Also while we’re at it, ‘bombshell,’ ‘destroyed,’ ‘meltdown,’ and ‘disaster.’”
3. “Blasted. Clap back.”
“Those are telltale signs that what you’re about to read is heavily biased and was written to evoke emotions instead of giving just the facts so it’s basically trash.
Therapy speak
4. “Gaslighting. People love to use this term wrong. It doesn’t mean ‘lying,’ it means ‘manipulating somebody into believing they’re crazy.’ That involves lying, but they’re not the same thing. Also every term invented to get around TikTok censors. ‘Unaliving,’ ‘graped,’etc.”
5. “Calling anyone who does anything slightly annoying a narcissist.”
6. “Similarly, anytime someone feels just a little proud of themselves for something and/or compliments themselves, it’s ‘ego.’ Not hating and constantly putting yourself down isn’t ego. It’s healthy.”
7. “Trauma.You don’t have trauma from the Starbucks barista mispronouncing your name, Djoeffreigh. And if you do, I am not interested in hearing about it.”
Aggressively passive-aggressive phrases
8. “People who use ‘the ick,’ ironically enough, give me the ick. Now I’ve given it to myself.”
9. “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
10. “Louder for the people in the back.”
11. “‘Let that sink in.’ ‘Read that again but slowly.’ ‘I don’t know who needs to hear this, but…’”
12. “‘Just saying’ after being very aggressive.”
Social media buzzwords and phrases that have been run into the ground
13. ”’Let’s normalize this.’ please no.”
14. “Tell me you’re Y without saying it.”
15. “I’m begging people to stop saying’”its giving.’”
16. “I’m literally obsessed”
17. “X lives rent free.”
18. “That’s iconic, she’s iconic, they’re iconic.”
19. “Today years old”
Weird, cutesy parenting terms
20. “Boy mom”
21. “I also hate ‘littles.”
Words that do not mean what people think they mean
22. “’Underrated’. Sick of seeing ‘OMG! This band/singer/guitarist/drummer is so underrated’ when they’re clearly millionaires from the musical success they’ve enjoyed for years.”
23. “‘My truth.’ I like this one because it lets me know the next words out of their mouth are going to be bullshit.”
24. “According to AI.”
Phrases that kids today use that all us olds hate
25. “The grandkids are slowing down on 6 7 (FINALLY), and I haven’t heard them say ‘sigma’ for a while, so HOPEFULLY those are both going away forever!!
26. “‘Lowkey’ we’ve run it into the ground.”
“The new ‘literally.”
“Omg it’s low key every second word my teen says.”
And finally…
Words that have lost their original meaning due to overuse
27. “‘Absolute game changer .’ I do product reviews, and I want to smack people for this one. Everything is a ‘game changer’ or a ‘holy grail.’ Bullshit, it is. That 5 star game changer is usually an overpriced piece of crap lol.”
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