10/7: “Whatever…” Takes Top Honors as Most Annoying
October 7, 2009 by Marist Poll
Filed under Featured, Living, Odds and Ends, Odds and Ends Polls
If you’re like, “whatever,” and someone gives you a mean look, just remember it is what it is – certain sayings rub people the wrong way, you know? Anyway, at the end of the day, who cares?
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If the above paragraph thoroughly irritated you, you’re probably not alone. The question is, which word or phrase bothered you the most?
Chances are it was “whatever.” In a recent Marist poll, nearly half of Americans – 47% – said they find “whatever” most annoying. The other sayings weren’t quite so loathed. 25% say they find “you know” most grating; 11% can’t stand “it is what it is”; 7% would like to ban “anyway” from all verbal exchanges; and 2% reported that they could do without hearing “at the end of the day.”
Interestingly, if you’re traveling to the Midwest, it might be especially wise to leave your store of “whatevers” at home. 55% of residents in that region dislike the term, while only 19% of them disapprove of “you know.” In contrast, 35% of Northeast residents say “whatever” is most annoying, while 32% are most bothered by “you know.”
Table: Most Annoying Conversational Word or Phrase
Related Stories:
Mary Azzoli breaks down the results from the Marist Poll’s survey on annoying words and phrases:
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I cannot stand the use of “like” as a conversation filler. It is the verbal equivalent of fingernails on a blackboard.
Great idea for a poll. I agree these are annoying. Next time include “What’s the good word?”. I hate that! What are you supposed to say?
I agree that saying “whatever” is so annoying. This is an interesting poll.
Did we miss the word “freakin’ “??? Why do we allow our children to say this when we all know it’s a derivitive of the cuss word “fu…..”? I get upset every time I hear this from a small mouth.
This poll left out the MOST annoying ‘word’ in the (American) English language in use today: LIKE.
What is very annoying it that it’s usage has moved from “teens” to “educated” adults.
“Oh, and I was like ‘I’m not coming over tonight’”
“That guy was like ‘I don’t care’”
THAT is fingernails on a chalkboard.
The ONLY way we get rid of this is to ridicule it’s usage! Don’t stand for it! Join me, people! It can work! We got rid of “ain’t” (for the most part). Power to the People!
I find the word LIKE so overused that I feel my skin crawl when I hear it. We’ve all tried so hard to understand teens speaking with LIKE used so many time, I think it replaced AH as a filler word. Now some so-called adults are trying to use the word to ‘fit in’ with the teens….
Tune them out!
I’ll bet next year’s #1 annoying word will be “look”. President Obama uses it as a sentence opener far too often. That’s not the worst thing a president could do, but now half the country is doing it. It’s driving me crazy!!!
How could you have missed the word “basically” in this poll? That word has driven me to the brink of insanity with both its misuse and overuse in both the media and everyday conversation. Some of the worst offenders are newscasters, especially radio sportscasters. It has become the new “um” or “you know.” I’ve have heard news reporters use it up to three times in one sentence. I hear it constantly in the workplace.
It makes me wish I could have a dollar for every time I hear the word used in a day.
Agree about “whatever” – it’s just rude. I’d put “literally” very close to the top. And it’s not a word, but it’s time to stop saying “www” before every web address. It’s just not necessary and sounds awful.
The most lazy and loose-thinking phrase I hear is “It is what it is”
When someone says that as a statement of finality in a discussion, I usually say, “It may not be what is appears to be on the surface”. Lets look a little deeper into the situation.
“It is what is it” is a lazy way to get cloture when you have nothing else to prove your point.
The #1 most annoying thins I hear is “You know what?” Even worse than “You know”. I constantly hear people in the news media, TV and radio, and other places where they should know better. I am sick of that phrase, and it never makes these lists! I guess everyone else is using it!
[...] Find out what other people said in this Marist Poll. [...]
The most annoying word is “closure” or bring to closure.” It is one of those Katie Couric type of words. It is a television media word that is rarely heard in common speech.
On the other hand there is “six of one or half dozen of the other,” a fadish annoyingly cute phrase that has quickly run out of currency.
“Conversate” is a popular phrase among American blacks that has not made much headway among the general population, unlike “don’t go there,” which I heard from the lips of Dick Cheney. But why would I want to conversate when it is much easier to “talk.”
Am I the only one that finds the adding of “wise” to the end of nouns (i.e. weather-wise, traffic-wise, in order to create an adverb annoying? It seems that the people most guilty of this grammatical infraction are reporters and sports analysts (defense-wise, offense-wise, batting-wise, etc.). Their constant butchering of the English language is now infecting education. I’ve heard a few professors at my university use it. ” Annoyance-wise,” I think this ranks near the top.
How about “no problem.” Whatever happened to you’re welcome? George Carlin…”Thanks for helping me bring the dead babies up from the cellar.” “No problem.”
For me, working at a college, the most annoying phrases would be:
#1 – Awesome
#2 – Best or worst (something) EVER!
#3 – “Back in the day…”
That last one really gets me b/c I hear college students, most of whom are only about 20 yrs old, saying it. They haven’t LIVED long enough & hearing my friends use it makes me feel old!
I find it hard to believe “like” was not part of the poll.
It’s not just teens — I hear everyone from six year olds to people in the 50s use it as a substitute for “said” or “went” “as if” and other words and phrases that are more accurate. Argh.
“Having said that” and “That being said” need to be taken out and shot. Also “very unique” is idiotic. It is the same as saying someone is very dead.
Whatever…
Two more: “Having said that”, or, “With that being said”. Could someone tell me how these add anything to a sentence? What are these expressions supposed to accomplish? I can draw my own conclusion based on the information you provided.
Great: Now you have me going…how about “move forward” … FWIW (for what it’s worth) … “don’t go there” … “Hel-o-oooo” … “Don’tcha think (or Ya think)?…it is SO (fill in the blank) … I am TOTALLY (fill in the blank) … and the newest overused word … ABSOLUTELY.
[...] there were only five choices, you know? But “whatever” totally kicked butt when the dudes from the Marist Poll dialed up folks across the nation to get the 411 on which sayings really make them [...]
I have noticed that with great frequency these days, people start their thoughts with “I mean”. When it makes sense to say that is when you are clarifying a previous statement. However, way too often – especially in interviews – an interviewer will ask a question and the respondent starts off by saying “I mean . . . . ” How in the world can you state you “mean” something that you haven’t yet verbalized? It is extremely annoying.
What about “Welcome to my world!”?
If that’s not fingernails to the chalkboard I don’t know what is!
So like what about: the bottom line; awesome; I’m ok with that; cool
It’s nice to know I’m not alone. Is there a support group for people like us whose ears bleed whenever someone butchers the English language?
how about: awesome; cool
Around here, “robust” was big for a long time but recently disappeared off the screen. Anyone else still hearing that one?
It boils down to people that are unable to use the English language as it was meant to be used. The popularization of certain phrases uses up time as “uhhh” and “uhmm” used to do. I think the point of the article is really to make you think about what you say, before you say it – so that what you say is exactly what you mean and not verbal white noise.
[...] In the latest Marist Poll, the phrase “Whatever” easily won as the most annoying thing that people say. Almost [...]
In the Northwest, maybe moving your way, is a turn of phrase that is so repellant it makes me shudder – “you guys’es” as in “you guyses luggage is over there.” or, How is you guys’es food tasting?” It was tasting fine until you made me throw up!
I do not like hearing ‘Trust Me’ ~ an immediate alert NOT to trust this person OR ‘My Friend’ spoken casually.
Whatever, I’m, like, so uncertain about, like, the outcome of this, like, survey, and, agree with those above who, like, find “like” use has totally, like, spun out of control. Watch any, like, talk show (even Oprah, who I thought was, like, a literate woman) or, like, reality show, and, now, like, commercials, if you can, like, stand to, like, have your brain, like, implode with, like, agony, at the, like, freefall our language is in. Where is the like outcry!?!
Yes, Clifford, I agree. The proper response to “thank you” is “you’re welcome.” How did “no problem” replace “you’re welcome”??
Also dislike: closure, ramp up, it’s all good.
Eddie, let me know when you start up that support group. Hope it’s soon.
And am I the only one who can’t stand being told to “have a nice day”?
“the reality is” makes me want to hurl
Like, I can’t, like, believe that, like, “like” wasn’t, like, even on the list! Listen to any conversation between people ages 4 to 60, and count how many times you hear “like” used in a meaningless way, as an exclamation or like…whatever!
“as of yet” …… ggrrrrrrr ….. William Saphire you are ssoooooo missed.
LIKE is the most abused at the moment, so much that it missed the observation of those conducting this poll. Children and adults alike are unable to speak without using this word.
I couldn’t agree more that it reminds us of nails on a blackboard!
And ‘freakin’ is uncivil and vulgar; and few people are aware of this.
[...] Surveytakers at the Marist Institute agree. Some words really are just annoying. Surprisingly, ‘like’ didn’t make the list, possibly because it has become so ingrained in our vocabulary that we don’t notice unless the word is impairing communication. Unfortunately, the word doesn’t impair communication much until the fifth or sixth use in a sentence. Someone should do a study on how much like is too much. This possible future study could also apply to uh, you know, and other filler words. Researchers with funding, are you listening? [...]
Gee, most people dislike the most popular phrases.
Maybe most people should speak less.
May I nominate “clearly”? A useless filler word, when tacked onto a sentence in an attempt to make the speaker sound oh so knowledgeable. I’ve heard “Clearly, I think” and “Clearly, it seems.” Huh?
I have to second the word “literally.” It seems it’s the “ironic” of my generation–no one seems to know how to use it correctly! If you ever watch five minutes of QVC, you will hear the word misused fifteen times, no exaggeration. It’s in every other sentence out of host Patti Reilly’s mouth. Rachel Zoe is another one who says stuff like, “I “litrarelly” died.” Uh, you’re still alive. What gets me is that it hearing it constantly used incorrectly breeds more incorrect usage from stupid people who thinks it makes them sound smart. “It is literally raining outside.” “I’m leaving in literally five minutes.” “I am literally brushing my teeth.” “The sky is literally blue.” UGH! Shut up! It is completely unnecessary to use that word to reinforce ideas that couldn’t possibly be taken figuratively. People are such idiots.
Can’t understand why you didn’t suggest the truly annoyingly overused and pompous phrase,” ..if you will” which seems to have slipped across the pond from the UK.
[...] preselected by the Marist pollsters. As you can see from the table of results that accompanied the announcement, 938 Americans were asked, “Which one of the following words or phrases do you find most annoying [...]
[...] 9, 2009 · Leave a Comment A recent poll showed that the most annoying phrase in conversations is “whatever.” Poor whatever. [...]
I can not believe “What Not” was not included on the list. I cringe when anyone uses this.
[...] hope to cut down on at least those patterns that I have identified. Today, the news about the words that Americans find most annoying spurred me into venting my peeves in phraseology, and hence I am making this list [...]
[...] Published October 9, 2009 in the news Leave a Comment According to a recent Marist Poll some of the most annoying words and phrases used in conversation amongst Americans are: Whatever, [...]
Worse than “if you will” which was mentioned above is “if you like”, now in common usage among BBC radio reporters.
Most annoying to me is the constant use “going forward”, although thankfully it seems to have abated.
[...] “Whatever…” Takes Top Honors as Most Annoying [...]
[...] Tags: Mad as hell!, Weasel words, whateverism Don’t know if you caught the the news from the Marist Institute in New York last week that Americans find whatever to be the most irritating phrase in the [...]
[...] By David You’ve likely seen this already. Last week folks at Marist Poll released their list of the most annoying phrases. There were five choices respondents could choose [...]
Using “and/or” is annoying.
I am a pastor and have been told that the most annoying words I speak are all of them after about the 25 minute mark.
The phrase “where you at?” makes me cringe.
How everyone is not annoyed by “I mean” is befuddling. This has to be ahead of you know, although it is not used quite as much. Often “Imean” and “you know” are used together. “I mean” is often used to begin a sentence in answer to a question in which a person is not asked what they mean. This happens on TV so much during interview shows. Also way up on the top of the list should be “the bottom line.” Perhaps this phrase has been number one on the list in previous polls. It’s been around since the early 80’s.
Oh, I forgot, another media phrase which quickly became annoying when it was introduced during the Iraq war. “On the ground” is one of those phrases which begs the question “as opposed to being in the air?”
“My Bad!” Thank god that finally died out… or did it. Come on people, just cuz its thrown down ‘in the hood’ dont mean everyone’s gotta pick it up!!
[...] Last but not least. The Marist Institute for Public Opinion have just declared this the most annoying word or phrase in the English language. I don’t know [...]
Unbelievable!
Clearly, the linguistic landscape of our time, in this moment in history, looks like a war zone.
It is ironic that so many amongst us are unable and/or ill-equipped to actually think outside the box of our common heritage and what-not. Be that as it may, hopefully, it is not too late for the underprivileged and less fortunate to step it up and rise to the challenge of empowering themselves anyway.
Look, if I may be candid, the question before us is: Going forward, can we advance the narrative of our spoken word and change that which needs, as of yet, to be changed?
To be blunt, and I mean this, honestly:
YES WE CAN! (Really!)
Closure-wise, if you will, the fact of the matter is that basically, at the end of the day, it is what it is. You know, like, literally.
[...] to a Marist poll, almost half of Americans – 47 percent – said there’s no phrase more annoying [...]
[...] most annoying conversational word or phrase in the English language in a US survey. A poll by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion found that almost half of the more than 900 people who took part in the survey voted it the worst [...]
Often heard from news reporters: “At 3:00 AM this morning..” or “6 PM at night.” Makes me want to report them to the Department of Redundancy Department.
[...] or Not Cliché “Whatever” topped Marist College’s recent list of the most annoying conversational word or phrase, the choice of 47% of the 938 Americans [...]
I can’t disagree with any of the previous comments, I’m peeved by all of these, and more.
The one phrase that bothers me most is “sort of”.
Listen to BBC radio, NPR, or PRI for more than a few minutes and you may hear “sort of” several times. It’s not new, possibly originating in the UK, which might make American English speakers feel smart by saying it. As with “like” and “you know”, almost every utterance of “sort of” serves no purpose.
Given their association with airheaded Valley Girls, “like” and “you know” may be more reviled, but to me, “sort of” is equally annoying.
“Whatever” has already sounded like a cliche and is annoying at times when it isn’t used sparingly.
“So, like, whatever…” is a phrase I hear quite a bit. Another two of my pet peeves is “Anyways” and “Nowheres”
In a world of Twitter and texting, the ability to speak–and write–correctly is quickly vanishing.
[...] Read what other people had to say in this Marist poll. [...]
These must go:
1. ‘at the end of the day’
2. ‘low hanging fruit’
3. ‘under the bus’
4. ‘elephant in the room’
5. ‘going forward’
6. ‘that being said’
Am I right?
It’s odd how what is annoying to some of us isn’t to others. But surely you all agree with the abuse of “actually.” For examples, watch This Old House… I hold my breath until someone uses the word, usually without cause, and I often hyperventilate.
A current phrase I dislike: “jump the shark.” Yes, the Fonzie reference was amusing *the first time*. But now that everyone uses it (I expect to hear Obama say we’ve “jumped the shark” in Afghanistan), it’s lost its luster. My girlfriend hates “thrown under the bus,” which is also annoying.
“Did we miss the word “freakin’ “??? Why do we allow our children to say this when we all know it’s a derivitive of the cuss word “fu…..”? I get upset every time I hear this from a small mouth.”
Whatever.
I have to add being called “a female” to the list. Besides the fact that men are never referred to as “a male,” it’s gramatically incorrect. “Female” is an adjective, not a noun. Also, I think it strips a person of all sexuality to be called “a female” instead of a woman. It sounds so clinical. Is it really so difficult to distinguish between a girl, a young woman, and a woman that we have to lump us all into the category of “females?” It sounds as stupid as referring to a group of women as “prettys,” “clevers,” or “vivacious-es.”
Most annoying to me are “errors of pretentiousness,” especially using “I” where “me” is correct. As in, “Bob invited Dennis and I to dinner. ” These people think, “If it sounds wrong, it must be right.”
Some of the sayings that most annoy me are these:
- Awesome!
- That just made my life! (I hear this one so much throughout the day…if it had really made your life, then you wouldn’t be saying it over and over.)
- Drowneded – how did this even originate? You drown or you drowned. You did not “drowneded.”
- “Who even says that?” Obviously *somebody* does, right?
- “Do you want me to do this, or…?” It really bothers me when someone purposely leaves their question open in order to try to sound more educated.
- Saying “slash” out loud, as in “purple slash pink” or “and slash or.”
- “Where are you at?” As mentioned by someone else, I cannot stand this one in particular.
- Repetition such as “What a cute little baby!” or “The puppies are very young.”
The most egregious of them all is “having said that,” another form of “that being said.” I think the later is more annoying. Even the best journalists are now using it and the phrase is commonly used as a transition in writing.
A close second is “sort of” in quick succession. Madonna does this as part of her phony English accent and now I hear all the liberal radio voices saying it. I’m a liberal and will never use the phrase.
In at third is the over use of “amazing.” I hear all of the wealthy New York City young people saying it now. Ammaaayyyzzing. That was so amazing. That coat is amazing. Those shoes are amazing…and on and on.
Oprah always says “fantastic, we’ll be right back,” then cuts to commercial. According to her, everything is fantastic.
I actually like it when people use “I” and “me” incorrectly because then I can snicker at them. The reality star or the real estate agent who thinks she is well educated and wealthy proclaims “my husband and I’s vacation was FABULOUS.” Which reminds one of another annoying and overused descriptive word.
“Thrown under a bus” should also be noted.
I agree with those who would put “like” at the top of the list. My guess is that “like” has become so common that people don’t really hear it any more. For those of us who grew up with “well” and “ah” as vocal interruptions, “like” is most annoying.
[...] recent Marist Poll finds “Whatever…” to be the most annoying phrase according to American English [...]
Here is one from the southeastern U.S. :
“…Do What?..”
This comes in response to any question or comment that is unheard, or misunderstood or wishing to apear so to the speaker.
“…Say What?” is almost as annoying, but “Do What?” trumps it as its annoyance factor is higher when it is uttered as a “cach-all” response to a question or comment that was not in in the slightest way related to the performance of a task.
Here is another one.
The speaker ends a declarative sentence that he or she deems to be definitive, with the modifier, “…Okay?”
As in, “The situation calls for a fresh approach, Okay?” I have done a lot of work on this…Okay?”
‘Centers around’. It should be ‘centers on’ or ‘revolves around’, since nothing can be at the center and around the center at the same time.
But the ubiquitous ‘like’ is horribly annoying. I believe its popularity derives originally from Jazz musicians use of it in the Bebop period when what they were doing harmonically was difficult to explain to the layman; so they took a short-cut and equivocated by using ‘like’ as a modifier. That may have been a justified usage at the time, but it has long since become a plague.
Also ‘point in time’ is due for permanent retirement.
“I could care less”. It’s still around; everyone uses it. I feel I’ve breathed in a breath of fresh air when I hear someone say, properly: “I couldN’T care less”.
On my top5: “on the other hand…”
Just take a stand, don’t argue both sides, please. Or if you must, take up the issue with yourself, alone. Let me know who wins.
For your consideration, from the Letterman show, Nov. 23rd, 2009 :
Natalie Portman, Harvard graduate :
. . . here in New York, if I would have a party, I’d get LIKE an unsigned note the next day that would say LIKE next time we’re calling the police … someone comes to me and is LIKE, “Oh my God, your neighbors are at the door,” and I’m LIKE, “Oh man, LIKE already I’m gonna’ be really unpopular.” And there were these dudes at the front door with LIKE booze and they were LIKE, “We heard the music, can we come hang?” And I was LIKE “awesome.”
[ http://tinyurl.com/yfrq56c ]
I have a challenge for everyone: Count the number of times that you hear the word “actually” in others’ sentences. By the end of one day, your count undoubtedly will have reached a thousand. Listen to TV newscasters and interviews. You’ll hear the word “actually” up to four times in four consecutive sentences! “Actually” is used too often where it’s unnecessary. My theory is that people use it to catch their listener’s attention — as if to request of the listener, “Be amazed by what I’m saying!” If what you’re saying is interesting or startling enough, the listener will realize that without having to be told that something is “actually” true.
I’m smiling now because, as I finished that paragraph, an interviewee on TV used the word “actually” twice in two consecutive sentences. Just start listening for that odious word and you’ll be amazed by its over-use.
What about “my bad”? How did that end up as a replacement for “my fault” or “I’m sorry”???
Or how about “reach out”. Why can’t I just call or email someone? Why do I have to reach out to them?
“I’m just saying…. !” What does this mean?????? My daughter says it all the time.
How many times have you been part of a conversation, only to have someone reiterate it to someone else, inserting the word LIKE before the EXACT words that you said… it’s mind-numbing. I often get a bit groggy when that word is used over and over again in conversation.
It’s not such a bad word when used nicely, such as telling me that they actually “prefer” something or that they “don’t prefer” that same something.
“I like ice cream”, or “I do not like that idea at all” —
For a gag, when someone uses the word LIKE as conversation filler, try keeping count of how many times the word is used.
all said n done lets not forget
‘ANYWAYS’ — how does ’s’ is so indiscriminantly used as per convenience ….