It's time for New Year's resolutions — and the annual Banished Words list from Lake Superior State University.
For 50 years, the list has included overused, nonsensical, or just plain annoying words that the list's authors never want to hear out of your lips again.
The university said the list began as a whimsical New Year’s Eve party idea in 1976.
The entries for 2025 continue the tongue-in-cheek commentary on language, catchphrases, and corporate jargon. Over 1,400 submissions were sent in to LSSU this year, pouring in from all 50 U.S. states, and as far as Uzbekistan, Brazil, Japan, the United Kingdom, and many more.
LSSU President David Travis said he enthusiastically supports the list's inclusion this year of "6-7."
"No one seems to know what it's about, what it means. It's just a cultural phenomena, kind of like last year we banished the word 'skibidi,'" he said.
The list isn't simply a fun exercise, though. Travis said the list has been a valuable public relations event for LSSU over the years.
"You know, we're way up here near Canada along the border and sometimes we get forgotten about. I do think this has brought some really much-needed attention to a small university, and showcases our emphasis on communication for all students," he said.
The full list, and explanations for what landed the words on the list, are as follows:
1. 6-7 (six seven): “There are six or seven reasons why this phrase needs to be stopped,” says Paul E. from WI. The volume of submissions for this one could have taken up the whole list, at least slots 6-7. The top banishment this year, Scott T. from UT adds, “it’s time for “6-7” to be 86’ed.”
2. Demure: “It’s very said more than very done, and we’re all very done hearing it!” remarks Tammy S. Often used in the phrase ‘very demure, very mindful,’ Madison C. shares that the overuse “waters down the real meaning.”
3. Cooked: “Hearing it ... my brain feels ‘cooked,’” groans Zac A. from Virginia. Parents and guardians led the charge on this one, with some feeling this isn’t enough. James C. from Washington suggests a ban of “all forms of the word cook,” hoping that hearing them will become rare.
4. Massive: “Way overused! (often incorrectly),” exclaim Don and Gail K. from Minnesota. This word’s massive overuse has secured its place on this year’s list.
5. Incentivize: In the longstanding effort to turn nouns into verbs, this is another culprit. Two separate submissions likened hearing this word to “nails on a chalkboard.” Patricia from Texas asks, “What’s wrong with motivate?”
6. Full stop: “For the same reason ‘period’ was banished ... redundant punctuation,” explains Marybeth A. from Oregon.
7. Perfect: “There are very few instances when the word actually applies,” notes Jo H. from California. Often heard during customer service interactions, Char S. from Ohio wonders: “How do they know it’s perfect ... what does that mean?”
8. Gift/gifted (as a verb): “I found this on the 1994 list, but it will make me feel better to recommend that it be included once again,” reveals James S. from Oklahoma. Another case of a noun being used as a verb.
9. My Bad: In the 1998 banishment, Elizabeth P. from Michigan suggested, “students and adults sound infantile when using this to apologize.” The phrase hasn’t matured in credibility since then. Andrea R. from Ohio shared, “It does not convey much meaning in the way of an apology.”
10. Reach Out: First banished in 1994, this saying has strayed from the positive message it once intended to deliver. “What started as a phrase with emotional support overtones has now become absurdly overused,” asserts Kevin B. from the United Kingdom.
This year, LSSU issued an extra list, to commemorate its 50th. The list includes "Repeat Offenders" that have received multiple banishments.
Repeat Offenders: Words That Refused to Stay Banished
1. Absolutely (1996, 2023): A favorite nomination of WXYT listeners in 1996. That proved not to be enough. A 2023 submission called the word “The current default to express agreement.” Will it try for a hat-trick? Absolutely.
2. At the End of the Day (1999, 2022, 2024): In 1999, Mike M. said the phrase was used by “political pundits,” while Randall H. attributed it to “Hollywood types.” This phrase
has the unique distinction of triple-banishment.
3. Awesome (1984, 2007): Elnora V. set the tone for the initial banishment, sharing “I find it preposterous to believe that all these writers are observing truly awesome events on such a widespread scale.” It returned to the list in 2007, with folks from as far as Thailand calling it “overused and meaningless.”
4. Game Changer (2009, 2025): The 2009 banishment quoted Cynthia saying, “It’s game OVER for this cliché, which gets overused in the news media, political arenas and in
business.” This “game over” would include another banishment in 2025, with Patrick from Washington, DC commenting, “nothing is a game changer if everything is a game changer.”
