Visit the graveyard of the English language with our dead words list. Breathe life into your writing by avoiding these linguistic relics.
Our dead words list will help you convey meaning and intent with clarity and flare. As the founder of Modern Linguistics and Semiology, Ferdinand de Saussure, shared: “Without language, thought is a vague, uncharted nebula.”
Although there are 500,000 words compiled in the Oxford English Dictionary, we still struggle to use precise language. But why should we use precise language anyway?
I’ll give you an example: My reading pet peeve is seeing a word or phrase repeated through one scene. Take this excerpt from Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore:
“How about we play our game?” he says.
“All right,” I say. I close my eyes and quietly take a deep breath.
“Okay, picture a terrible sandstorm,” he says. “Get everything else out of your head.”
Given the novel was translated from Japanese to English, I can excuse the repetition. And knowing the reputation of the author, it is unlikely the paragraph was handled so ineptly in the original Japanese. Still, seeing the word “say” three times in a row vexes me. The word “say” is an example of a dead word.
Check out our article on the best Haruki Murakami books of all time!
Contents
What Are Dead Words?
Dead words are English words or phrases “used to the death.” As they are overused, they lose their impact. Dead words include vague or broad terms that don’t offer additional information.
Moreover, dead words mar academic essays or work catering to an audience requiring respect or formality. Any writing oversaturated with dead words becomes repetitive and disengaging. You should recognize and avoid dead words for stronger writing.
Dead Words List
Below is a list of dead words and phrases to jettison! Expand your vocabulary and learn some new words now.
Dead Words Alternatives
This category involves worn-out and vague word choices that can be more specific or descriptive. You will see that removing the dead word often necessitates changing the form of the sentence, making your writing more succinct.
1: A Lot/Lot
Dead word: Anna has a lot of magazines strewn across the room.
Better: Anna has heaps of magazines strewn across the room.
2: All in all
Dead word: All in all, the event was a success.
Better: Overall, the event was a success.”
3: Also
Dead word: He is also an excellent pianist.
Better: Moreover, he is an excellent pianist.
4: And
Dead word: Mary prefers tea and biscuits.
Better: Mary prefers tea together with biscuits.
5: Because
Dead word: The teachers left the school early because it was raining.
Better: Since it was raining, the teachers left the school early.
6: Best
Dead word: The speaker said we’re the best.
Better: The speaker said we’re the crème de la crème.
7: Better
Dead word: The new car model is better than the 2020 version.
Better: The new car model is superior to the 2020 version.
8: Big
Dead word: Malbork Castle is the Polish knights’ big headquarters.
Better: Malbork Castle is the Polish knights’ colossal headquarters.
9: But
Dead word: Loki loves him, but his ambition gets in the way.
Better: Loki loves him, yet his ambition gets in the way.
10: Clearly
Dead word: The king clearly favors his first son.
Better: The king obviously favors his first son.
11: Cold
Dead word: The wind made it cold outside.
Better: The wind made it chilly outside.
12: Do
Dead word: Parents should always do the task themselves.
Better: Parents should always perform the task themselves.
13: Easy
Dead word: Solving this puzzle is easy for him.
Better: Solving this puzzle is effortless for him.
14: Etcetera/Etc.
Dead word: Lyca likes reading, watching movies, etc.
Better: Lyca likes reading, watching movies, and more.
15: Every
Dead word: Every student received a certificate.
Better: Each student received a certificate.
16: Fast
Dead word: The cheetah needs to be fast to catch its prey.
Better: The cheetah needs to be swift to catch its prey.
17: Fine
Dead word: I’m feeling fine!
Better: I’m feeling splendid!
18: Finish
Dead word: Let’s finish this meeting with a group picture.
Better: Let’s wrap up this meeting with a group picture.
19: Fun
Dead word: Nico is fun at cookouts.
Better: Nico is entertaining at cookouts.
20: Funny
Dead word: The studio’s latest movie is funny.
Better: The studio’s latest movie is humorous.
21: Get/Got/Getting/Gotten
Dead word: Her grandparents got her new paintbrushes from Germany.
Better: Her grandparents obtained her new paintbrushes from Germany.
22: Give
Dead word: The university gives scholarships to minority groups.
Better: The university grants scholarships to minority groups.
23: Good
Dead word: He is a good pawn in the emperor’s plans.
Better: He is a valuable pawn in the emperor’s plans.
24: Gross
Dead word: Sorry, but cafeteria food is gross.
Better: Sorry, but cafeteria food is disgusting.
25: Guy
Dead word: Allen’s a chill guy.
Better: Allen’s a chill chap.
26: Have/Have to
Dead word: We have to live up to our parents’ expectations.
Better: We must live up to our parents’ expectations.
27: Hopefully
Dead word: Hopefully, the weather will be nice tomorrow.
Better: Ideally, the weather will be nice tomorrow.
28: Hot
Dead word: The sun is hot in the summer.
Better: The sun is scorching in the summer.
29: Interesting
Dead word: Authors like Toni Morrison create interesting novels.
Better: Authors like Toni Morrison create spellbinding novels.
30: It (generic)
Dead word: It is water under the bridge now.
Better: The issue is water under the bridge now.
31: Kid/s
Dead word: You should never involve the kids in divorce discussions.
Better: You should never involve the children in divorce discussions.
32: Know
Dead word: You must know the consequences of your actions.
Better: You must be aware of the consequences of your actions.
33: Mad
Dead word: Tom got mad when he lost the game.
Better: Tom went ballistic when he lost the game.
34: Mean
Dead word: The poll results mean there will be a new administration.
Better: The poll results indicate a new administration.
35: More
Dead word: The department needs more time to complete the project.
Better: The department needs additional time to complete the project.
36: Nice
Dead word: Lauren is a nice landlord.
Better: Lauren is an agreeable landlord.
37: Nothing
Dead word: The girls’ team beat the boys in baseball, six to nothing.
Better: The girls’ team beat the boys in baseball, six-nil.
38: Nowadays
Dead word: Nowadays, the youth cares more about internet likes than scholarly endeavors.
Better: Currently, the youth cares more about internet likes than scholarly endeavors.
39: Okay/OK
Dead word: The slideshow is okay, but it could be better.
Better: The slideshow is acceptable, but it could be better.
40: Old
Dead word: The building at the end of the road is old.
Better: The building at the end of the road is ancient.
41: People
Dead word: The people of England prefer Queen Anne of Cleves.
Better: The citizens of England prefer Queen Anne of Cleves.
42: Perfect
Dead word: She was a beloved queen with a perfect reputation.
Better: She was a beloved queen with an unblemished reputation.
43: Possess
Dead word: The king should possess a strong army to protect his kingdom.
Better: The king should command a strong army to protect his kingdom.
44: Pretty
Dead word: The merchant sells pretty pendants.
Better: The merchant sells charming pendants.
45: Sad
Dead word: She’s sad as her dream university rejected her.
Better: She’s disheartened as her dream university rejected her.
46: Says/Said
Dead word: He said the phrase with a smile.
Better: He uttered the phrase with a smile.
47: Scared
Dead word: The thought scared her into submission.
Better: The thought terrified her into submission.
48: Show
Dead word: The king will show his daughter all over the city.
Better: The king will parade his daughter all over the city.
49: Small
Dead word: It’s a small diorama.
Better: It’s a minuscule diorama.
50: So
Dead word: It was raining, so we stayed inside.
Better: It was raining; therefore, we stayed inside.
51: Stupid
Dead word: That was a stupid mistake.
Better: That was a foolish mistake.
52: Then
Dead word: We had dinner, then watched a movie.
Better: We had dinner and watched a movie afterward.
53: ‘Til/’Till
Dead word: He endured her horrible antics ‘til their divorce.
Better: He endured her horrible antics up to their divorce.
54: Used to
Dead word: I used to live in the city.
Better: I was accustomed to living in the city.
55: Weird
Dead word: Many students find him weird.
Better: Many students find him eccentric.
56: Well
Dead word: She performed well as a department head.
Better: She performed competently as a department head.
57: Went
Dead word: They went to Thailand for vacation.
Better: They traveled to Thailand for vacation.
Meaningless Dead Words
Meaningless dead words include qualifiers to “soften” statements. These words affect the specificity or certainty of the sentences.
This category also involves words that perform semantic bleaching. Semantic bleaching reduces a word’s intensity or literal meaning. It happens when the words are used for emphasis or as fillers influenced by poor street or colloquial language.
As an example, people often use the word ‘literally’ to emphasize their point.
“I literally hang around the house all day.” When they could just say,
“I hang around the house all day.”
or even better!
“Figuratively speaking, I have around the house all day.”
You can substitute meaningless dead words with more fitting terms or by removing the dead word or phrase altogether.
58: Actually
Dead word: Shelly’s cooking actually tastes good.
Better: Shelly’s cooking surprisingly tastes good.
59: Amazing
Dead word: Rena has an amazing voice.
Better: Rena has an extraordinary voice.
60: Awesome/Cool/Great/Rad
Dead word: The magician’s new trick is rad.
Better: The magician’s new trick is mind-boggling.
61: Awful
Dead word: The dictator’s treatment of the civilians is awful.
Better: The dictator’s treatment of the civilians is sickening.
62: Basically/Essentially/Totally
Dead word: He basically said we won’t work out as a couple.
Better: He said we won’t work out as a couple.
63: Fantastic
Dead word: BTS is a fantastic boy band.
Better: BTS is a phenomenal boy band.
64: I believe/feel/think
Dead word: I think the judge is biased.
Better: The judge is biased.
65: In my opinion
Dead word: In my opinion, the judge should have let the jury see all the evidence.
Better: The judge should have let the jury see all the evidence.
66: Just
Dead word: I’m just a freelance writer.
Better: I’m a freelance writer.
67: Kind of/Kinda/Sort of/Sorta
Dead word: I’ll be honest — what you did to me yesterday kind of hurt me.
Better: I’ll be honest — what you did to me yesterday hurt me.
68: Like
Dead word: I was like, thinking if I should like, give him another chance.
Better: I was thinking if I should give him another chance.
69: Literally
Dead word: I literally exploded with anger last night.
Better: I exploded with anger last night.
70: Maybe
Dead word: Maybe you wouldn’t be in this position if you listened to your wife.
Better: Perhaps you wouldn’t be in this position if you listened to your wife.
71: Obviously
Dead word: He’s obviously upset.
Better: He’s visibly upset.
72: Really
Dead word: The principal was really mad at her.
Better: The principal was furious at her.
73: Things/Stuff
Dead word: I need to think over some personal stuff.
Better: I need to think over my career and family.
74: Very
Dead word: The bride is very happy.
Better: The bride is thrilled.
Common Phrases and Buzzwords
This section includes some common words, phrases, or buzzwords that have become unfashionable or overused.
75: Circle back
Dead word: Let’s circle back to this concern in three days.
Better: Let’s revisit this concern in three days.
76: Go-getter
Dead word: I am a go-getter who increased my department’s quarter sales.
Better: I am an ambitious leader who increased my department’s quarter sales target by 10%.
77: Happiness
Dead word: Jane did not expect motherhood to bring her happiness.
Better: Jane did not expect motherhood to bring her contentment.
78: Moral
Dead word: The police department requires us to be moral.
Better: The police department requires us to be law-abiding.
79: Move the needle
Dead word: Ask yourself how you can move the needle on this company.
Better: Ask yourself how you can leave an impact on this company.
80: Proactive
Dead word: I was proactive in preventing problems within my previous organization.
Better: I resolved problems within my previous organization.
81: Reasonable
Dead word: He’s a reasonable ruler.
Better: He’s an impartial ruler.
82: Responsible
Dead word: Munch was a responsible detective.
Better: Munch was a conscientious detective.
83: Right
Dead word: The scientists chose the right route.
Better: The scientists chose the ethical route.
84: Self-motivated
Dead word: I am a self-motivated employee.
Better: I am a committed employee.
85: Success
Dead word: Brownlee’s last-minute play was a success.
Better: Brownlee’s last-minute play was a triumph.
86: Synergy/Synergize
Dead word: The marketing and manufacturing departments must synergize to achieve the company’s objectives.
Better: The marketing and manufacturing departments must cooperate to achieve the company’s objectives.
87: Team player
Dead word: I’m a team player and can work competently in any team.
Better: I’m adaptable and can work competently in any team.
88: Think outside the box
Dead word: I always think outside the box.
Better: I am innovative.
89: Wheelhouse
Dead word: Coding is my wheelhouse.
Better: Coding is my key strength.
Dead Metaphors or Clichés
Also known as ineffective metaphors, dead metaphors are figures of speech, idioms, or expressions that have become too familiar to the audience. These phrases don’t spark any imagination for the readers anymore.
The best alternatives for this category are lesser-known metaphors, more specific descriptors, or simply laying down the meaning of the metaphors. Learn more about this topic through our article on the common types of metaphors.
90: A clean slate
Dead word: He wants a clean slate after serving his sentence.
Better: He wants a fresh start after serving his sentence.
91: Bed of roses
Dead word: You’ll be in a bed of roses once you marry the king.
Better: You’ll be in clover once you marry the king.
92: Elephant in the room
Dead word: Will we ever discuss the elephant in the room?
Better: Will we ever discuss the apparent issue?
93: Fall/Falling in love
Dead word: Are you falling in love with Lady Anne?
Better: Are you besotted with Lady Anne?
94: Go belly up
Dead word: If she keeps spending money she doesn’t have, her salon will soon go belly up.
Better: If she keeps spending money she doesn’t have, her salon will soon fail.
95: Gut-wrenching pain
Dead word: It’s impossible to explain the gut-wrenching pain of seeing her husband with another woman.
Better: It’s impossible to explain the heartrending agony of seeing her husband with another woman.
96: Heart of gold
Dead word: The emperor has a heart of gold.
Better: The emperor is benevolent.
97: In the nick of time
Dead word: The rescuers came in the nick of time.
Better: The rescuers came right on time.
98: Like a broken record
Dead word: I’m tired of hearing you complain — you’re like a broken record!
Better: I’m tired of hearing you complain repeatedly.
99: Step up to the plate
Dead word: You’re not her father; she can’t force you to step up to the plate.
Better: You’re not her father; she can’t force you to take responsibility.
100: Stick in the mud
Dead word: My late grandpa was a stick in the mud.
Better: My late grandpa was a traditionalist.
101: Tall, dark, and handsome
Dead word: How did you catch a tall, dark, and handsome beau?
Better: How did you catch a criminally attractive beau?
102: The ball is in your court
Dead word: I’ve been honest; the ball is in your court now.
Better: I’ve been honest; the decision is yours now.
103: Without a care in the world
Dead word: He’s parading his mistress without a care in the world.
Better: He’s nonchalantly parading his mistress.
