Clichés and Trite Phrases
A new word is like a fresh seed
sewn on the ground of the discussion.
—Ludwig Wittgenstein
A smart writer avoids using trite (worn-out) phrases and clichés (stereotypes). These give your writing a hackneyed (and potentially amusing) quality. And using them stamps you as lazy or unimaginative.
The buzzwords in buzzword bingo include:
Whatever it takes,
Impact (as a verb),
Win-win,
Scenarios,
Hot button,
Up to speed,
Bite the bullet,
Ball's in your court,
Pass the baton,
Functionality freeze,
Proactive,
State of the art,
Leading edge,
and more, many more, as any meeting-goer could attest.
Replace clichés like the following with direct, precise, and original wording.
“add insult to injury”,
“bag and baggage”,
“bitter end”,
“as a matter of fact”,
“all things considered”,
“after all has been said and done”,
“at one fell swoop”,
“labor of love”,
“calm before the storm”,
“clear as crystal”,
“few and far between”,
“more than meets the eye”,
“far be it from me”,
“brute force”,
“broad daylight”,
“equal to the occasion”,
“engage in conversation”,
“drastic action”,
“discreet silence”,
“moment of truth”,
“last-ditch effort”,
“line of least resistance”,
“heated argument”,
“food for thought“
Copyright © 2007 Donna K. Reeder