Are you abusing these 10 most irritating office phrases?
March 19, 2009 by Shane BorerPosted in: "Seemed like a good idea at the time", Special report
Everyone’s got their verbal pet peeves, but odds are good you and your co-workers have more in common than you think when it comes to phrases that should never be spoken in the office.
After performing extensive research, scholars at Oxford University and author Jeremy Butterfield have devised a list of the ten most irritating phrases uttered by humans.
This top ten list appears in Butterfield’s latest book, “Damp Squid,” which was comprised from books, papers, magazines, journals, broadcast media and other sources:
- At the end of the day
- Fairly unique
- I personally
- At this moment in time
- With all due respect
- Absolutely
- It’s a nightmare
- Shouldn’t of
- 24/7
- It’s not rocket science
In addition to these expressions, Butterfield also came up with a runners-up list of phrases. Although it’s populated by office lingo like “think-tank” and “synergy,” the words “literally” and “ironically” nabbed honorable mention for being used incorrectly, or out of context the most often.
Does one particular word or phrase automatically send you or your co-workers off the deep end? Share your own pet peeves with others below.
Popularity: 70% [?]
Tags: 24/7, Communication, Irritating phrases, Office lingo, Out of context, Top Ten
March 20th, 2009 at 8:37 am
I am tired of phenominal and dynamic.
March 20th, 2009 at 8:48 am
One that gets me going in e-mails phrases is “feel free to contact me”.
March 20th, 2009 at 9:23 am
The most overused is “It is what it is”
March 20th, 2009 at 9:28 am
“My plate is full”
March 20th, 2009 at 9:35 am
I’m so tired of hearing “Think outside the box” in meetings. Can’t we just say “Be Creative” or something else. And Tom, “feel free to contact me” if you have any suggestions
!
March 20th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Two that make me cringe are “potentially” and “essentially”
March 20th, 2009 at 10:21 am
People love to say the word “Especially” a lot!! But they always seem to make it sound like they are saying “eXpecially!” I go nuts when I hear that! It’s as annoying as nails on a blackboard to me! Stop saying EXPECIALLY!!!!
March 20th, 2009 at 10:22 am
“To be perfectly honest…” So you have been lying to me all this time???
March 20th, 2009 at 10:27 am
With all due respect, I personally think, at the end of the day, the author shouldn’t of made a big deal of this subject. It’s absolutely fairly unique and it’s not rocket science to cause me at this moment in time to say that it’s a nightmare that I have to consider this matter 24/7.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:29 am
The ones that makes me cringe are “Just so we’re on the same page.” or ” I want us all to be on the same page.”. WHAT PAGE! It drives me nuts!
March 20th, 2009 at 10:29 am
It makes me insane when someone addresses a group as “You people…”
March 20th, 2009 at 10:39 am
How about when someone says “moving forward” after every stupid little detail is explained to them and this is their way of saying the next time they will actually remember the stupid details.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Another one “Looking at the big picture” or “Your not seeing the big picture”
March 20th, 2009 at 10:45 am
What really drives me crazy is “ASAP” those things always go to the bottom of the pile. Thats “As Soon As Possible” in my book.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:45 am
The saying that I hate the most has not even been mentioned. “Have a good one”.
A good WHAT?
March 20th, 2009 at 10:48 am
We have always done it that way!
March 20th, 2009 at 10:51 am
My mother would always say “SO TO SPEAK” to drag out her conversations – urgh!!!! Stop it Mom, stop it! Another awful word she uses is “discombobulated” and then I scream, that’s not a real word, (actually it is now) but it shouldn’t be!
March 20th, 2009 at 10:52 am
AWESOME!
March 20th, 2009 at 10:57 am
I have co-workers that say “supposably”, “mute point”, “pacifically”, “onery”, and so on…but, it’s not the verbal phrases that annoy me as much as the blatant misspelling/misusage of so many words!!! To/too, your/you’re, there/their/they’re, it’s/its, then/than, etc.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:58 am
How about “Me and Bob went to the meeting”? And the mispronunciation of vehicle – ve-HICle.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:00 am
If I hear the word “robust” one more time…!
March 20th, 2009 at 11:04 am
I just thought of another one that nauseates me. I hate it when I ask someone how they are and they reply “I’m here.” I want to reply “Well that’s a relief! I thought I had forgotten my medication and had begun to hallucinate again.”
March 20th, 2009 at 11:08 am
I think a lot of this repetition happens in business environments where things are stagnant. If I start hearing stuff like this a lot, I “run like hell”.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:16 am
The word that kills me the most (sends shivers up my spine) “irregardless” It’s not a word – its a double negative.
Regardless means without regard, inpite of, etc.. –
Irregardless means not without regard, not inspite of, etc…
When people use the word “irregardless” they use it as if to say regardless. But in the end, I am too polite to correct them – I’d rather have a shiver up my spine then embarrass someone.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Jim, I’m sorry, but I’m not as polite. What you should have written is “I’d rather have a shiver up my spine THAN embarrass someone.”
March 20th, 2009 at 11:20 am
I can’t stand “well, you don’t understand, we’re busy down here!” Well, who isn’t busy?!?!
March 20th, 2009 at 11:22 am
“My bad” what does that mean other than you do not know English. I guess I should not have brought this up – My Bad
March 20th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Ahhh… There’s nothing like a good vent to clear the head before the weekend:)
March 20th, 2009 at 11:33 am
“Speak to the Hand” when someone is busy and you can’t get a word with them or they don’t like what they are hearing. It’s rude and I’ve only heard it a few times but do not like it.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:33 am
“Speak to the Hand” when someone is busy and you can’t get a word with them or they don’t like what they are hearing (as they hold their palm up in your face). It’s rude and I’ve only heard it a few times but do not like it.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:37 am
“Quick question…” When I hear this phrase, I know it won’t be.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:50 am
The one that I hate to hear when haveing a conversation is ” I feel you ” I always think to myself you feel who and you are feeling them where.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:51 am
It rips me when someone says “no,no,no” answering a question! One no would have been sufficent thank you! “Feel free to contact me” Carrie!
March 20th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
How about “At first blush. . . “
March 20th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
“Well, we should all just be thankful we have a job”. This has become the new excuse for management to sidestep handling an issue. Continually “overlooking” problems that affect staff may turn the tides until they are saying “Well, we should all just be thankful we have employees”.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
I agree with Barb…ASAP. It automatically gets the least attention! If you need something right away, say it…”as soon as possible, please”
March 20th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Faux pas…..the pronunciation preferred by my boss? Fox paws. I kid you not – fox paws.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Love Jeff’s reply
March 20th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
“I’m all over it” ew..
March 20th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Joan, that would KILL me! Fox paws! Does your boss pronounce it that way to be funny, or does he or she believe that “fox paws” is the correct pronunciation?
My biggest business pet peeve isn’t so much a word as a lackthereof. I can’t stand it when there’s something that needs to be said but no one’s willing to say it!
I also hate it when anyone addressing their colleagues or subordinates in a meeting says, “We’re all adults here.” Thanks for reminding us! We almost forgot why the Monday morning meeting wasn’t being held in the sandbox…
March 20th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
I think it’s funny when people are criticizing trite expressions in speech and they use expressions such as:
“another one that nauseates me”
“The word that kills me the most (sends shivers up my spine)”
“I can’t stand”
“It rips me when someone says”
I’ve never seen a nauseous, mostly dead-shivering spine, ripped person who is unable to stand as result of words spoken in the work place.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
This one I really hate. I say all that to say………………. Say it once and get it over with!
March 20th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
I find certain words and phrases that are part of the pop culture of the time to be amusing; like my mother-in-law saying that someone should be “bushwhacked”, a 90 year old person’s term that appears to mean “assaulted but, it was deserved”. But, there are business culture phrases that I find really annoying. For example, “I need you to get on board”, or “Let me reach out to my team”, and the worst one of all, “I will have my people get with your people”. I do not have any people, sorry! Where can I get some people? Individuals who use those phrases should be bushwhacked!
March 20th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
I hate “try to think outside the box” what you’re really saying is “obviously my way of thinking is the right and if you don’t agree you’re not as smart as I am”.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
My latest favorite is the beginning of all sales pitches…”In this economy,…”.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
“try to think outside the box” what you’re really saying is “obviously my way of thinking is the right and if you don’t agree you’re not as smart as I am”.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Two I’m constantly correcting are “between you and I” and “that’s where we’re at”.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I hate it when people use the word “irregardless” IT’S JUST “regardless”.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
How about the good old “off ten” when what one mean is often. Did someone just decide the English language should now be spoken phonically or should I say fonetically? I’m real sorry to tell you Jim, irregardless is now in the dictionary, regardless of the fact that it’s meaningless and obviously only used by those who don’t understand the word..or non word
March 20th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Jeez…I haven’t had this much fun since………..(provide the ending of your choice – the more trite and annoying the better).
March 20th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
The use of the word “more”! Ex: The mattress was more soft. (the word is softer!) Maybe the mattress has more softness, but it isn’t more soft!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 20th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
My old boss would always say “Its all relative…” I was like relative to what? She would just look at me and blink. It was annoying.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
My pet peeve word of the moment: Leverage or Leveraging. I’m sick of people using that word (should I have said ‘everaging?) any time “use” or “using” would do. I’ve just come from a conference and I was amazed at how over used that word is.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
“Ya Dig?!” Hate it!
March 20th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Well I think personally that it would be a win-win, synergistic, paradigm shift to offer customer-centric, metric-based solutions in real time with bandwidth that is best practice.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
“Having said that”… My ex-boss would frequently use it to acknowledge that my idea was good but his idea was much better and it really bothered me.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
“Basically”…that drives me nuts. I hear it everywhere now, sorry, I meant to say that I hear it basically everywhere.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
it’s fun to talk about these annoying phrases, such as “when it’s all said and done” (not mentioned yet), but more annoying to me than the phrases is that scholars at oxford performed extensive research on this topic… what a waste…
March 20th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
How about “putting in my 2 cents”? Just thought I’d “throw that in”…
March 20th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
The most irritating I hear in meetings all the time is….”per se”
March 20th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
AND…”I hate to interrupt, but..” and then they interrupt.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
How about “massaging the numbers” , “growing the business”, and “touching bases”.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
” the question is…..” Used at least 10 times by an office worker when wanting to know more about what you are doing… the truth is he/she is afraid to admit to be completely clueless but wanting so much to let the whole world know he/she is a “know-all” person and everyone else is dumb.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
When someone calls your or emails you “can I ask you a question?” – just ask the question!!! Now I have to answer if you can ask another question. Or how about…”the big picture” or “high level” – are they saying we don’t get “the big picture”?
March 20th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
My pet peeve is the misuse of the word “really” when they mean “very”. “That meeting went really, really good!” instead of “That meeting went very well.” But then I recently took a basic college level English composition class and most of the 20-somethings did not know the difference between an adjective and an adverb. Rather than the English language evolving, it is disintegrating.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
“Reach out to me…” Excuse me?!
March 20th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
The truth of the matter is: We live in America, the land of the free. I can say what I want and how I want, right?
Ya’ll “Put on your big girl panties and get over it”
March 20th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Jeff~
You are too funny!! I love your comments, and coulnd’t agree more! ( wait, should ” I couldn’t agree more” be on the list???)
March 20th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Anita; you go girl!;-)~
March 20th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
I like ‘per se’ nothin’ like a bit’o latin to stimulate the synapse
March 20th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
susan-
So true!
March 20th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
What does “irregardless” mean?
March 20th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Wexis instead of saying Westlaw & Lexis – two very different corporations
March 20th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
The one that irritates me is this new thing in business terms called organic, as in organic growth. Since when did organic mean internal? My first thought was;we’re going to start a garden. Who comes up with these things?
March 20th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
The phrases that is annoying the most is “Thank You for being a Team Player”. It appears on all change of rules and regulation at the office.
What do you mean team player? We are being told, not asking!
March 20th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I hate when people over 30 are still using the word “dude.” Come on, throw the beer down and mature up!!!
March 20th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
right now it’s the ubiquitous use of either “having said that….” or “that being said….” YUK
March 20th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
I have a colleg educated supervisor that continues to say “when you finish with those ones you can start to work on these ones”…….those ones and these ones. I am sorry I just feel that is correct english.
March 20th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Here are a few:
Increase Revenue
Enhance Revenue
Pacificly (it’s SPECIFICALLY)
I’m nauseous. (yeah, you’re about to knock me over)
Shoot. (don’t tempt me)
Drive Revenues (give me a ferrari already!)
March 20th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I can’t stand hearing people say “Just want to touch base with you”. That and when people come to my office and say “Knock Knock”. I don’t have any reason why these things irk me, but they do…
March 20th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Thanks Lynnette
March 20th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Let’s take this offline…
Sidebar!
Dude, seriously???
I’ll get right on it. (please, don’t.)
Oh, and it’s PIQUE, not PEAK your interest.
March 20th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Between Christmas and New Year’s, an organization in the UP of Michigan, perhaps a university, publishes a list of what is ‘in’ for ther coming year, and what it ‘out.’
Thankfully, ‘It is what it is,’ has been banished.
March 20th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I have to agree with “it is what it is” – well DUH!
March 20th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Rich: Dude!! (I’m over 30.. sometimes it just comes out…)
March 20th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
This must be a lancaster county thing, but there are people who end every sentence with “and that”. For example, “I e-mailed my journal entry, and that.” Or they say “This creates problems, and that”. The other thing they do is use the word “awhile” at the end of a sentence. Example – “Should I get started on that project awhile?” Awhile what? Awhile you are waiting for the bus? Awhile you should be back in 8th grade language arts? What the heck?
I agree with the irregardless…drives me insane when used. They should say regardless or irrespective as replacement words.
The other one is “supposed to”. People are constantly using it this way —> “suppose to”. UGH!
Close the loop. Action items. Both overused.
Please do not hesitate to ask. That is just asking for trouble. Don’t you want people to think first before asking?
I could go on and on, but I have to close the loop on a few of my action items irregardless of other duties suppose to be calling. Hee…Hee…Hee..
March 20th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
“Irregardless,” and “short staffed”
March 20th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
How about “Are you busy?” No, I get paid for doing nothing. And please don’t say, very unique. Unique IS the superlative!
March 20th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
I have seen “granularity” become overly used to define how much detail exists or is known. I also agree that “my bad” is annoying. “Heads up” seems to be overused, too.
March 21st, 2009 at 9:03 am
What-not! What exactly does that mean?
March 22nd, 2009 at 9:41 am
I feel bad for people who have a boss who is not educated or does not have vocabulary skills. I’m one of them. Regardless of what I say my supervisor responds with “That’s a possibility.” Even if he asked me what was going to do over the weekend, and I said “I was thinking about watching the game”, he would say “that’s a possibility”. Every time he says that I want to come back with “of course it’s a possibility you idiot”. After seven years of “that’s a possibility” I’m ready to scream.
March 23rd, 2009 at 7:36 am
I am sick of “with that being said…”
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:40 am
I now work remotely and forgot how office slang can irritate someone when overused (I read all of the list and it really brought back unpleasant memories). I would like to hear a different response (in the office and in the public) to the term “thank you”; just once in a while say “you’re welcome” instead of the term “no problem”, inferring it could be a problem. I just do not think you can overuse “you are (add an adjective if you like) welcome”. By adding an adjective, it changes it up and it has more meaning i.e. absolutely, positively, most, always etc. I don’t know, maybe it is just me.
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:22 am
What I find particularly amusing is the fact that a high percentage of those complaining about some specific verbal mannerism exhibit some other verbal mannerism that someone else finds just as annoying. Maybe, instead of focusing on the surface traits and habits of others that irritate us in some way, we ought to take a few seconds to consider the person behind that veneer. Maybe then we will come to appreciate the skills and abilities he or she brings to the workplace, and value that person in spite of his or her weaknesses, foibles and fears. Maybe we’ll learn that we have a lot more in common with those who irritate us than we care to admit.
Naaaahhhh! It’s a lot easier to just carp about their vocal tics and believe ourselves superior to those uneducated individuals who don’t even know how to speak or write correctly.
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:58 am
Well said Mr. Pustule
March 23rd, 2009 at 2:57 pm
“These are trying times” or “These are tough times”…
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Picky, but using prepositions incorrectly is VERY COMMON & bugs the *%#! out of me– This article even has its own example:
“This top ten list appears in Butterfield’s latest book, “Damp Squid,” which was comprised from books, papers, magazines, journals…”
It’s “comprised of” or “compiled from”
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Mr Pustule – We can appreciate others’ positive traits while still going bananas inside over their English skills.
March 24th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Instead of “big picture”, the management here likes to use the phrase “30,000 foot view”. Last time I checked, when you are at 30,000 feet, you can see some clouds but not much else.
March 24th, 2009 at 10:23 am
The phrase that most irrates me is “Let’s agree to disagree.” !
April 8th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I have to agree with Karyn, You People…. Arghhh Arghhh Drives me and my staff CRAZY…
July 15th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
There are a few comments that are “on pont,” but most are general conversational irritants – regarding phrases often heard a work, the one that gets me most is, “Does that make sense?” Well, why would you say it if it didn’t? Do you have a problem making sense? Please, dude…
July 16th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Oh here’s a gem: “So on and so forth…”
That is a bad one… But it’s even worse when someone uses it several times within a grouping of 5 sentences! It’s TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, AWEFUL, and so on and so forth…
July 16th, 2009 at 8:06 am
And one on e lighter note…
“The wheel may be spinning, but the hamster’s dead!”
July 16th, 2009 at 8:11 am
How about “high level” or “looking from a 10,000 feet perspective”
July 16th, 2009 at 8:44 am
“That’s a good question” but “I have to be honest” “clearly”, I don’t have the “bandwidth” nor do I “have a sec” to reply to such nonsense, and if I did, I’d have to “run it up the flagpole” first. “Capeesh”?
July 16th, 2009 at 8:50 am
People seem to be starting sentences with “Sooooo” a lot lately. My bggest pet peeve though is “again”.. As in … And again, we have to find a better way to…”… Even if the person never siad it the first time, so it’s not “again”.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:33 am
At this moment in time and with all due respect, I personally applaud Butterballs’ fairly unique observations on these overly used phrases. It’s a nightmare and society shouldn’t of succumbed to these bad habits 24/7. Hey, at the end of the day, it’s not rocket science. Let’s just stop saying these things. Absolutely!
July 16th, 2009 at 9:37 am
How about “various assundry” and “for all intensive purposes”. Yikes! Where’d YOU go to school?? Mute point, irrigradless and expecially are strong runners up. Here are some others I frequently come accross in written correspondence; “and-hoc” “do dillygence” “deformation of character” and “et all”. Come on people….
July 16th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Here’s a great one: “Can I ask you a question?”
July 16th, 2009 at 9:55 am
I once had a boss who would come by my desk 4-5 times a day and ask “How’s it going?”. How do you even answer that? If I’m not at your desk asking for help, then it is going well, thank you.
July 17th, 2009 at 9:51 am
To Anita–I have my teeny big girl panties on. That’s the great thing about freedom; we also get to decide who we want to listen to and who we want to “turn the ears off to”. I guess you forgot that freedom extends to us as well. We get to judge ourselves whether we think drivel is coming out. Mr. Pustule; sounds like you lost your sense of humor–lighten up. I learned a great deal from this “venting”. It never occurred to me that ASAP would be irritating to anyone. I now write the word out. Thanks to everyone who contributed.
July 17th, 2009 at 10:33 am
With all due respect, at the end of the day, I personally find this absolutely a fairly unique nightmare that shouldn’t of affected my 24/7 day-to-day. After all, it’s not rocket science.
July 20th, 2009 at 10:25 am
“It’s not rocket science”
I hope not! Rocket science is already 65 years old.
July 20th, 2009 at 11:39 am
While not a phrase, how about the misuse of “I” as in , “My boss couldn’t find Bob and I because we were goofing off at the golf course all day.” “Me” is the object case of “I”.
Or this one…”how do I say”, repeated said throughout the thrice-weekly conference calls during the six-month life of the project. At first, it was annoying, then I sobbed. Later, I entertained myself during the call by trying to predict the next occurrence.
Or another…”each and every”. Use one or the other, but please not both.