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While “cringe” once packed a punch, it has now overstayed its welcome. Overuse has dulled its impact, and ironically, using it might now cause the very reaction it describes. “Saying someone ‘caused you to cringe’ or stating that ‘you cringed at something’ is a pretty easy and proper way to use the word,” writes Ash from Newton, Alabama. “Hearing someone say ‘someone is so cringe’ makes me cringe!”
How many times can a game change before it is no longer recognizable? This phrase, often used to describe anything remotely innovative, is as tired as a well-worn cliché. “Nothing is a game changer if everything is a game changer,” writes Patrick of Washington, DC.
Unless you are Taylor Swift, it might be time to leave “era” behind. The term’s overuse has made every fleeting moment feel like it demands a historical marker. Leah of Holland, Michigan submits, “Thanks to the name of Taylor Swift’s tour, now there is an ‘era’ for everyone and everything! ‘He’s in his fatherhood era’, ‘She’s in her pottery-making era,’ etc., etc.. It’s overused and tiring.”
Once edgy and cool, “dropped” has become more of a letdown. Whether it is an album, a trend, or a product, this term has fallen flat. “Books, music, and all kinds of unnecessary things are currently being ‘dropped’ rather than introduced, released, or offered for sale. Banished for overuse, misuse, abuse, and hurting my head when all that "dropping" stuff lands on me!,” laments Susan of Littleton, CO.
Internet slang and texting abbreviations are often fan-favorites of Banished Word submitters each year. Cryptic and exclusionary, this phrase offers little clarity or substance. If you know, you might agree it is time to let this one go. Amy from Redford, MI feels this phrase should go for being both irritating and nonsensical.
A half-hearted apology masquerading as bold honesty, this phrase feels as disingenuous as it sounds. Banished Word enthusiasts recommend just saying what you mean or in at least one case showing a little kindness. Sabrina from Wrenshall, MN writes, “It is really tiring to hear, and it is giving people another reason to be jerks to one another.”
This viral word may have resonated with a younger crowd, but for many it is just noise. Agatha from Denmark explains, “Nobody cares about a Skibidi toilet, Skibidi fizz, or Skibidi Ohio fanum tax. At this point, nobody even knows what it means and it just annoys people.”
Is it possible to be over-enthusiastic about retiring the phrase “100%”? Absolutely! Its overuse has left no room for nuance or doubt. A phrase predominantly nominated for its overuse, some felt it was simply not applicable. “Since when should a percentage be used to describe your agreement in a conversation?” asked Stephen from Sudbury, Ontario.
A classic offender, “utilize” proves that longer is not always better. Why complicate things when “use” works just fine? Everett from Cumby, Texas encourages readers to “Write like you talk,” and added, “Lord, I hope you don’t talk like that.”
Yes, we understand your point—no need to verbally punctuate it. Overuse has turned this into a period we are ready to end. Theresa from Detroit, MI, recommends that we banish this word by putting it in a bottle and sending it out to sea.
Lake Superior State University Unveils 2025 Banished Words List
January 1, 2025
Contact: Kimberly Muller, [email protected]
(Sault Ste. Marie, MI) – A new year brings the promise of fresh beginnings, but it is also the perfect moment to reflect on the words and phrases that may have worn out their welcome. Lake Superior State University (LSSU) proudly reveals the 2025 edition of its Banished Words List, a quirky tradition that dates back to 1976, when former LSSU Public Relations Director Bill Rabe and his colleagues delighted word enthusiasts with the first “List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness”.
Each year, this lighthearted list shines a spotlight on words and terms that are overused, misused, or simply unnecessary. It offers a moment to laugh, pause, and consider how we can be more mindful of the language we use every day.
“Words matter! Old habits can be hard to break and we’re happy to serve as a resource for the court of public opinion on what should continue to be part of the English language and what needs to be put to rest,” says Lake Superior State President, Dr. David Travis.
LSSU received submissions from across the globe this year, including entries from Canada, Australia, Denmark, Germany, India, South Africa, and the United States. The fact that some of the same banished word suggestions came from different parts of the world underscores the universal struggle of dealing with challenging words and phrases.
Here are the 2025 words and phrases selected for banishment, along with the reasons they made the list:
While “cringe” once packed a punch, it has now overstayed its welcome. Overuse has dulled its impact, and ironically, using it might now cause the very reaction it describes. “Saying someone ‘caused you to cringe’ or stating that ‘you cringed at something’ is a pretty easy and proper way to use the word,” writes Ash from Newton, Alabama. “Hearing someone say ‘someone is so cringe’ makes me cringe!”
How many times can a game change before it is no longer recognizable? This phrase, often used to describe anything remotely innovative, is as tired as a well-worn cliché. “Nothing is a game changer if everything is a game changer,” writes Patrick of Washington, DC.
Unless you are Taylor Swift, it might be time to leave “era” behind. The term’s overuse has made every fleeting moment feel like it demands a historical marker. Leah of Holland, Michigan submits, “Thanks to the name of Taylor Swift’s tour, now there is an ‘era’ for everyone and everything! ‘He’s in his fatherhood era’, ‘She’s in her pottery-making era,’ etc., etc.. It’s overused and tiring.”
Once edgy and cool, “dropped” has become more of a letdown. Whether it is an album, a trend, or a product, this term has fallen flat. “Books, music, and all kinds of unnecessary things are currently being ‘dropped’ rather than introduced, released, or offered for sale. Banished for overuse, misuse, abuse, and hurting my head when all that “dropping” stuff lands on me!,” laments Susan of Littleton, CO.
Internet slang and texting abbreviations are often fan-favorites of Banished Word submitters each year. Cryptic and exclusionary, this phrase offers little clarity or substance. If you know, you might agree it is time to let this one go. Amy from Redford, MI feels this phrase should go for being both irritating and nonsensical.
A half-hearted apology masquerading as bold honesty, this phrase feels as disingenuous as it sounds. Banished Word enthusiasts recommend just saying what you mean or in at least one case showing a little kindness. Sabrina from Wrenshall, MN writes, “It is really tiring to hear, and it is giving people another reason to be jerks to one another.”
This viral word may have resonated with a younger crowd, but for many it is just noise. Agatha from Denmark explains, “Nobody cares about a Skibidi toilet, Skibidi fizz, or Skibidi Ohio fanum tax. At this point, nobody even knows what it means and it just annoys people.”
Is it possible to be over-enthusiastic about retiring the phrase “100%”? Absolutely! Its overuse has left no room for nuance or doubt. A phrase predominantly nominated for its overuse, some felt it was simply not applicable. “Since when should a percentage be used to describe your agreement in a conversation?” asked Stephen from Sudbury, Ontario.
A classic offender, “utilize” proves that longer is not always better. Why complicate things when “use” works just fine? Everett from Cumby, Texas encourages readers to “Write like you talk,” and added, “Lord, I hope you don’t talk like that.”
Yes, we understand your point—no need to verbally punctuate it. Overuse has turned this into a period we are ready to end. Theresa from Detroit, MI, recommends that we banish this word by putting it in a bottle and sending it out to sea.
As LSSU celebrates the 49th year of this playful tradition, the whimsical Banished Words List continues to highlight the dynamic nature of communication and how words and phrases strongly affect our everyday life.
To nominate a word or phrase for the 2026 Banished Words List, or to learn more about the tradition, visit lssu.edu/traditions/banishedwords.
In 1976, the late and ingenious Lake Superior State University Public Relations Director W.T. (Bill) Rabe released the first tongue-in-cheek “banished words list” as a safeguard against misuse, overuse, and uselessness of the English language—and as an imaginative publicity stunt. National and international reaction from the news media and the general public was so enthusiastic that Rabe predicted the Banished Words List, as he put it, “would go on forever.”
Forever may be stretching it, but the annual Banished Words List shows no signs of stopping. Over the decades, people across the U.S. and around the world have nominated tens of thousands of words and phrases that bother them for banishment. Examples of the 1,000-plus entries to make the yearly compilation include “detente,” “surely,” “classic,” and “bromance,” plus “wrap my head around,” “user friendly,” “at this point in time,” and “viable alternative.”
The lighthearted Banished Words List began as a promotional ploy for little-known LSSU. The university was established in 1946 as a branch of Michigan College of Mining and Technology for returning World War II veterans. Lake Superior State College became autonomous in 1970 and developed into Lake Superior State University in 1987. Signature programs now include fisheries and wildlife management, engineering, nursing, criminal justice, business, robotics engineering, kinesiology, and fire science. In 2019, LSSU launched the first cannabis chemistry program in the nation. LSSU also was the first campus nationwide to offer an accredited four-year fire science program; it is one of three in the U.S. LSSU was the first campus nationwide to offer an accredited four-year robotics engineering technology program and is the only university nationwide to offer undergraduate education in industrial robotics.
The charm of the Banished Words List grew out of the enchantment of an earlier creation by Rabe: Unicorn Hunters. Upon arriving to LSSU in 1971, Rabe, who had earlier made a name for himself as a PR guru in Detroit, realized that the school was still largely thought of as an offshoot of Michigan Tech, if known at all. To help rectify that, he, along with English Department professors, founded a group who quested the legendary horned creatures. The Unicorn Hunters garnered all sorts of positive attention over the years from media and devotees alike until LSSU’s Unicorn Hunters retired with Rabe in 1987—although the university continues to grant unicorn hunting licenses to anyone who wants one through its singular Department of Natural Unicorns.
From Rabe and associates and LSSU’s Unicorn Hunters sprung all sorts of other serious play, original ideas, and clever initiatives, including two that also continue to this day: an annual Snowman Burning the first day of spring since 1971, given the voluminous snowfall in the Upper Peninsula—and the world-famous Banished Words List, announced at the end of each year a) because that’s often a slow-news period, as Rabe, a former newspaperman, knew, and b) so that people start the New Year on the right foot, er, tongue.
The first list was dreamed up by Rabe and friends at a New Year’s Eve party in 1975. The following day, he released the list. After Rabe retired, the university copyrighted the concept and continued the idiosyncratic serious play. Rabe’s brainstorms resulted in three interlinked and now spun-off traditions: Unicorn Hunters, which gave rise to Snowman Burning and Banished Words.
