Banish That Word!

[Babelfish]

Are there any words in the English language that you simply despise; that if you were ruler of the universe for a day, would banish from common usage?

There needn’t be a rational explanation for your abhorrence of the word(s); but if you have one, please share it as well.

Thank you.

[tonywalt]

carbon footprint(sorry two words) or green jobs (again, two words) dammit.

[Alexander III]

Human Resources...Could there be a better way of dehumanizing your workforce?

[kev67]

I think I'll go with 'facilitate'. It's a technical sounding word that just means enable or assist. It's often used to reports or essays to make them sound more intelligent than they are.

[Babelfish]

I always feel insulted when mass media refers to me as a 'Consumer.'

[tonywalt]

Awesome and the "like" prefix

[jajdude]

We have some useless common words that allow people to feel or sound smart without saying anything.

utilize -- it means use, which is a useful word, whereas utilize is a useless word and can always be replaced by use.

proactive -- this word has no meaning

task as a verb -- this is nonsense. You ask someone to do something, or give them some work to do.

over-exaggerate -- not even a word.
over-complicate -- same thing

functionality --I find it odd that this word exists. Why make the word function longer?

[cacian]

I don't know I'd rather not banish a word but manipulate it into something else. It is more fun that way. You can always give it a new spelling and a new meanings. It is all about new additions.

[cacian]

I always feel insulted when mass media refers to me as a 'Consumer.'

That I have to agree with. I think the media has no interferences with real people. A bit like a computer it makes up words to generate an image that is slightely unsure of its position or disposition shall I say.

[AuntShecky]

May we include two-word phrases, like "going forward" and the alternative "moving forward?"

You've heard about the drinking game in which when a certain word or phrase is uttered on TV, everybody takes a swig?

Well, if we were watching Luke Russert on MSNBC this morning, and the magic phrase was "moving forward" we'd all be under the table before the next commercial break.

[MadCow]

Pants. I hate the P word. And panties....eeeeeurgh I hate even typing it.

[prendrelemick]

Boom!

I'm not sure what it means. It is appearing all over the social networks, I think it is a triumphant exclamation

[TinCan]

Twerk, swag (or swagger), hella... Living in an urban area has some advantages, but the trends in vocabulary do not give me much hope for the evolution of language.

[BienvenuJDC]

While the word "retarded" is often misused, I don't mind it if it is used in a proper context (NOT to mean stupid). However the word "retard" needs to be banished completely!