In January 2022, I had some fun chatting with my WSU colleagues about that year’s Banished Words List. My enthusiasm from that conversation led to a blog post and in 2023 I wrote a blog post about that year’s list as well. I don’t know what happened in 2024 other than I refrained from using all overused words because I did not write about that year’s list.

But my language is suspect again because I am all over the 2025 Banished Words List. For those who are unfamiliar, Lake Superior State University curates the list each year by identifying “overworked, redundant, oxymoronic, clichéd, illogical, and nonsensical” words and terms. That reminds me, have I ever chatted about my family’s streaming habits?…

This streaming era is getting out of control. Period. We utilize a handful of platforms and it actually makes choosing a movie/show 100% harder (IYKYK). When Disney+ dropped it was supposed to be a game changer for our kids but it just made things more expensive. Beau watches Skibidi Toilet on YouTube more than he watches Mickey Mouse…talk about cringe. Sorry not sorry, but I am tempted to cancel some subscriptions or just go back to cable.

A look at the 2025 Banished Words.

When I reflect on this list, I am guilty of using some of the words frequently in my writing. Although not influenced by Taylor Swift in any way, I use era to categorize periods of time. In fact, I devoted a blog post about “eras” while Sid and I even delivered an entire presentation on the word.

I also ashamedly insert utilize in my writing like it is going out of style. You can also call me out for using sorry not sorry and cringe from time to time as well. Honestly, what right does a blogger in his late 30s have to use those expressions?

I do agree that a couple of the words on the list need immediate retirement. The first one is game changer. It belongs in the same category as “the next level” when it comes to phrases that lazily try to convey an innovative upgrade. I also hope to never hear the word Skibidi again but my son will prevent that wish from ever coming true. Perhaps at the very least I will finally find out what it means. Because IYKYK, right?

What are your thoughts on this year’s banished list? Is there a word that you can’t seem to stop using OR is there one that needed to be banned yesterday? Come on everyone, let’s get cringe 😂. Don’t Blink.

Although I have paid attention to the Banished Words List for more than a decade, last year was the first time I actually wrote about it. A lively discussion among co-workers about the words was my inflection point for doing so. The list, complied by Lake Superior State University, aims to retire “overworked, redundant, oxymoronic, cliched, illogical, and nonsensical” words and terms.

In following the lead of last year’s post and in homage to Lake Superior State University’s own paragraph it uses to introduce the annual words, here is a little sample from me…

I am by no means the GOAT of getting young children dressed in the morning. Irregardless, I do try to accomplish the amazing by getting Sloan and Beau in their school clothes by 7:30 a.m. every weekday. Sloan tries to gaslight me by saying I am too rough pulling on her clothes but it is what it is. You see, the inflection point is always getting Sloan ready first so Beau follows her example. Does that make sense? Sidney might think my effort is akin to quiet quitting but moving forward I hope she can see that I always give 100%. Am I the corniest dude alive? Absolutely!

The Banished Words List of 2023 might contain some of your own go-tos.

To be honest, the words in the 2023 list didn’t resonate with me as much as the 2022 version. Maybe that is a good thing? However, the one word in this most recent list that I completely abused over the past 12 months was absolutely. Just like LSSU framed it, I used “absolutely” in a way that I hoped would convey enthusiasm and cooperation. But sometimes over eagerness can be a bit much.

I thought it was interesting that it is what it is made a re-appearance on the list (it was banished in 2008). I do remember when that phrase was all the rage and I can distinctly remember an NFL Films reel in which it showed coaches and players exclaiming it in a whole bunch of different contexts. I abused the phrase myself but eventually moved on. Little did I know that it made a comeback this past year.

The one term that I definitely agree deserves banishment is gaslighting. Completely overused in 2022, I consider it the ultimate buzzword that pretty much was erroneously used to encompass anything said by one person that another person did not like.

Moving forward, I think we should probably check ourselves against overusing the recently banished words/phrases in 2023. Here’s hoping for another year in which Don’t Blink makes the list. Don’t Blink.