We asked, and you guys answered. After Oxford University listed its selection of the Irritating Phrases: Reader Pet Peeves
from user "Rex": Put me down for the most meaningless phrase in the English language.That being By and large.I have no idea what that means.
NBC
from user "lois": "I am from the old school and am irritated by the use of awesome."
Everett Collection
User "williamdaley" : I hate hearing basically. Basically, that word is over used.
Fox
User "lester": I swear if you took the phrase you know out of the english language 80 of the people in this country wouldnt be able to carry on a conversation.
Getty Images
user "Arnie": By far, the worst is any variation on what's up?
Getty Images
user "Skeeter": my daughter uses is whatever. Even though she's forty, every time she opens her mouth and utters that word I want to wash her mouth out with soap.
foam, Flickr
user "Allison": Not!
Getty Images
user "meledstick": I'm "reaching out" but "can't get my arms around" "sharing" "at the end of the day", but I guess it's just my bad.
shira golding, Flickr
user "Mike W".: LIKE, every third word in a sentence.
Paramount
user "JB": Living in the NYC area I also hate this little gem: How you doing?
Getty Images
Comments:
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Friday 28 November
By DAN DINELLO
YOU GUYS.ESPECIALLY @ restaurants
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Friday 28 November
By kipfisher
A reader dislikes the phrase "by and large" because he doesn't know what it means. He might have simply tried looking it up. It is a nautical phrase. Sailing "by the wind" is sailing upwind. Sailing "large" is sailing downwind. Roughly speaking, the phrase means "whichever way you are going," with the added notion that some directions are harder than others.
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Friday 28 November
By Lawrence C Coffing
I think "actually" is USELESS. "I ACTUALLY work at a large law firm" . She ACTUALLY dated his next-door neighbor before she met him. We ACTUALLY went there on vacation. Leave out ACTUALLY and the sentence has the same meaning. SO the word is ACTUALLY useless.
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Friday 28 November
By Amy
You forgot
"Not a Problem"
If ti was a problem I wouldn't have asked....or what teh heck am I paying you for anyway? Ggrrr
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Sunday 30 November
By Gloria Gaines
The phrase people use that I just hate is "that being said"
Reply
Friday 28 November
By Numsayin
The most annoying phrase for me?
Easy.
The phrase "Do you know what I'm saying?" following almost every declarative utterance in a conversation. This often abbreviated to "Numsayin?"
Annoying is hardly the word for it...
Reply
Friday 28 November
By Gramma
you left off "BASICALLY and "CONVERSATE".....drives me crazy when I hear mostly young people using these words!!!!!!
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Friday 28 November
By gary h.
i agree with you 1000 pecent conversate is not even a word, it's converse
Friday 28 November
By Lynn Cain
I find that when adults or teenager's follow up with "OK" ? after every thing, it sounds redundant and ignorant
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Friday 28 November
By kit
The worst is "I hate to burst your bubble but." So keep it to your freaking self then. Some people take delight in being nasty.
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Friday 28 November
By Juliana
I hate it when callers call into a talk show and say '' thank you for taking my call'' just b/c they've heard other callers say that. All you should say is state your concern or predicament.
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Friday 28 November
By nic
Lindsay Lohan is dating a girl? I did not know that. But then, I really don't know who she is or why she's famous either.
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Friday 28 November
By RicHandsome
In business, I hate when you politely thank someone for something that is routine and their job, and they comment " NO PROBLEM". It is like they did you a favor when it is their job. I find it arrogant.
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Friday 28 November
By Glo
3 - "It's a no brainer" it's hard to tell who is being insulted here - the guy who came up with the idea- is he the one with no brain - or is he saying those who use his idea are morons - it's just a nasty, arrogant phrase that adds nothing to language or the edification of the hearer. Irregardless - regardless will do, is the correct word, and sounds far more intelligent; and finally, "walking on eggshells" - the correct phrase is "walking on eggs", meaning to tiptoe or delicately walk (eg without breaking the fragile eggs) around an issue or a person without starting an argument or controversy - what difference would it make if you walked on eggshells, the damage there is already done.
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Friday 28 November
By Juliana
It's offensive when people say ' ' Are you working? ' ' .......everytime they see you. And ' ' How much is your paycheck? ' ' and ' ' what percentage of a raise did you get ? ' ' and '' What'd your evaluation say ' ' and ' ' How do you pay your bills ? ' ' and ' ' Where'd you get the money for your car ? '' ----haven't they ever heard of savings ? and ' ' How much did your parents get for the sale of their cottage ? ' ' and ' ' How much did you pay for your house ? ' ' and ' ' 'How much does your brother make ? ' ' on and on ad nauseum .......
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Friday 28 November
By j elizabeth
I have a friend who says, "He goes or she goes..." instead of saying he said or she said. It is so annoying!!
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Friday 28 November
By Sena Landey
In a conversation, the use of the phrase "the fact of the matter is" preceding an opinon is controlling, arrogant, and annoying.
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Friday 28 November
By Sam
I hate it when people misuse the word "literally." "I was literally jumping out of my skin..."" Unless you were breaking out of your skin and had bones showing, it's incorrect.
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Friday 28 November
By ron
i dislike it very much when people just say" hows it going " when the mojority of people couldnt care less, just say hello and let the rest go,
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Friday 28 November
By gary h.
i must say i agree with you. before you get get you comment out the other person is well into some other task. next time that happens you should follow the person and till them your every gripe. and explain that they asked.