On the radio they were taking calls for the most annoying words of 2010. “Whatever” won in a poll. To me, that’s not that bad.
That got me thinking…
Most annoying words:
1. Sure
As in an answer to a question. Answer the god damn question!
2. Fruition
It’s one of those words I think people say just to sound smart (like “plethora”). I hate the sound of it. It makes me cringe, actually.
3. Ya’ll
I had never heard it used in excess until this season of “the Apprentice,” and now I can’t stand it. It sounds lazy and purposefully hickish.
4. Proactive
I never want to hear that word again! It is overused in the workplace and relatively meaningless in my line of work.
5. Vaca (vay-cay)
How lazy have we become that we have to shorten everything?
6. Just
When meaning “only” or “merely.” As in, “I just spent $300 on this pointless piece of crap.”
Just is used to justify something stupid.
7. Irregardless
I absolutely hate words without meaning
8. Abhor
It sounds filthy
9. Pacific
(when it is supposed to mean “specific”)
10. Heighth
and any other words with added letters or subtracted syllables.
And some favorites:
1. Suburbia
2. Tinsel
3. Moron
4. Audacity
5. Carny
holly pelesky 
Thank you for the lesson on the word Just.
You are much smarter than me.
Only and merely.
Thank you.
Oh…”irregardless” makes me angry! I honestly think the people are trying to say “regardless”…but are too moronic to realize what the suffix “-less” actually means.
I hate when people say “expecially” instead of “especially.” My teammate at work does it constantly.
I used to work with a guy who said “eggspecially” too.
As far as shortening stuff goes we have a customer who sends emails signed “E” and his name is Ed. Good thing he's saving all those keystrokes by leaving off one letter.
My god…if I ever hear the word “proactive” again it'll be far TOO soon…!
Merry Christmas and safe trip!
Scott M.
Holly,
When I first moved to Wisconsin, my college roommate used to say “simUlar” for the word “similar”. Also everyone here says “acrost” instead of “across”. He lives acrost the street……………AAAHHHGGG! Even a very well educated administrator that I know still uses that NON word.
So funny, I can't believe how passionate everyone is about words- and I thought I was the only one who seriously judges people who say “simUlar” and “expecially”. But there's one more that really drives me crazy…it's when someone randomly says “and that” into the middle of a sentence… and that??? Please tell me that someone out there knows what I'm talking about here!!
auntie kimberly, i work with a woman who throws, “and stuff like that” in the middle of every sentence she ever says. kill me.
sure doesn't bother me, i always say sure, to me it means yes. now i find out that you want to strangle me everytime i say it… sorry.
i hate irregardless… it is an epedemic around this office everyone says it when they really mean regardless. ignorant.
i also hate “virgin”… why is this word used to describe a first in every situation, from seeing a movie, to buying a house. i didn't “lose my virginity” when i bought my first house, i was not a “property virgin”, i just bought a house for the first time.
i hate shortened words, abbreviations, and most words that can be used to describe food, such as moist, creamy, steamy, and so on.
words i like… conundrum, noodle, patience,
Or how about nucUlar instead of nuclear? It's pronounced just as it reads!!!!!
By the way, great blog. I just happened on it from a random search.
Malcolm D
Holly, y'all sure did offend me just now with this post. I am very pacific about the words I use, irregardless of what others think. I go to great heights to be proactive when trying to bring a conversation to fruition. I'm going to vacay now before you start to really abhor me.
Did I get them all? Hope it made you laugh instead of pissing you off further. 😉
I agree with the poll – I hate WHATEVER but then again I live with two tweens.
Melinda, the overuse of “sure” is not your doing, it comes from someone who happens to live with me.
Mrs. Hyde: you could never anger me. You're too funny.
Everyone else: everyone sucks but us! It's not that difficult to use words as they were intended.