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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Annoying buzzwords/phrases.

144 replies

WheresThatCatGoneNow · 01/08/2026 11:15

I keep hearing people say that they "reached out" to a another person or a company/ business/organisation etc.

Why don't they just say that they contacted them? Which is what they actually mean!

It really sets my teeth on edge.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:

Mosaic123 · 01/08/2026 11:17

Yes it's an annoying phrase.

FiveShelties · 01/08/2026 11:18

Reached out drives me mad too.

When my Mum died I got an email from someone requesting I reach out if I needed help🙄

Sahara123 · 01/08/2026 11:19

I agree. But then I find myself increasingly getting agitated about annoying phrases these days . It shouldn’t matter . But it does !

Friendlygingercat · 01/08/2026 11:21

Yes phrases like📧

Gives me the ick
Suck it up
Use your words
Boils my piss
No is a complete sentence

BarbarianBabs · 01/08/2026 11:22

In a zoom or teams meeting when someone says “let’s take this off line” when what they really mean is let’s talk about this later. The later conversation will also need to be online 😂

i guess it doesn’t annoy me, but I do always think in my head that it will still be online 😃

wordywitch · 01/08/2026 11:29

The singular use of what should be plural words, especially as it relates to fashion or beauty. A red lip, a flared jean, a black pump, etc..

‘Go in with’ (said almost exclusively by influencers doing beauty stuff or cooking food) instead of ‘adding’ or ‘using’

Ratherhaveacupofteaandabiscuit · 01/08/2026 11:29

“Touch base”
”It is what it is”
“Gifting” used as a replacement for giving or “gifted” as a replacement for given

Original poster

WheresThatCatGoneNow · 01/08/2026 11:30

Another one is "can I get..."

The correct way to say it is "may I have..."

And don't get me started on "tasked with" !

😖 GRRR! 🤬

OP posts:

Original poster

WheresThatCatGoneNow · 01/08/2026 11:47

I'd love to be behind the counter in a shop when a customer comes in and says, "Can I get a whatever-it-is, please?"

I would reply, "No, you can't get it, but I am happy to get it for you."

OP posts:

Cuppachuchu · 01/08/2026 11:48

Ride or die.
Stupid.

Original poster

WheresThatCatGoneNow · 01/08/2026 11:52

Cuppachuchu · 01/08/2026 11:48

Ride or die.
Stupid.

Not sure what that one means. 🤔

OP posts:

MrsShawnHatosy · 01/08/2026 11:52

“Give you a heads up” instead of “let you know”.

CluelessAboutBiology · 01/08/2026 11:59

“Socialised” instead of “communicated to the team”

Original poster

WheresThatCatGoneNow · 01/08/2026 12:07

Sahara123 · 01/08/2026 11:19

I agree. But then I find myself increasingly getting agitated about annoying phrases these days . It shouldn’t matter . But it does !

Yes!

It really does matter - at least it does to me.

And I wish people would stop tacking "to be fair" onto the end of every sentence.

Nine times out of ten it makes no sense!

OP posts:

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 01/08/2026 12:13

Early doors
Bestie (unless you’re about 7)
Curated - everything is blasted ‘curated’ instead of chosen or selected.

And ditto to ‘gifting’. Is giving a present, or present giving, just too many syllables for people to manage?

I know that in a couple of months the bloody word is going to be everywhere. 😩

RumNotRun · 01/08/2026 12:13

I hate it when people use "ain't" to make a point. The rest of the post won't be as informal but then there will be one sentence such as "he ain't worth it". It always feels incongruous and reminds me of Jeremy Kyle.

Lemonorzo · 01/08/2026 12:14

Picky bits

Whosthetabbynow · 01/08/2026 12:23

Middle for diddle
This one
And just like that
Making memories
Princess

Just fuck off with the lot of it. It’s cringy, overused clichèd old bollocks

Original poster

WheresThatCatGoneNow · 01/08/2026 12:24

And what about that awful upward inflection at the end of almost every sentence?

As if every sentence is actually a question, but they can't be bothered saying, "do you know what I mean?"

😤😤 Yes, I'm an unapologetic pedant!

OP posts:

Mathair2 · 01/08/2026 12:27

Pre-prepared...

It doesnt make sense. You got something ready in advance. You just prepared it!

1wokeuplikethis · 01/08/2026 12:29

When I say thanks and the other person says “welcome”.

it’s you’re welcome. YOU’RE WELCOME.

I haven’t just entered your holiday home, and actually, I take my thank you back.

LaMarschallin · 01/08/2026 12:34

RumNotRun · 01/08/2026 12:13

It happens quite a bit on MN with wanting to sound hard (goodness knows why).
I remember someone during Covid talking about hoarding toilet paper and, when someone suggested there were perhaps better things to keep in limited storage space, started on about "wiping her arse" when she'd sounded quite middle class until then.

onlyoneoftheregimentinstep · 01/08/2026 12:37

Enmeshed. According to MN, anyone with a close extended family is ‘enmeshed’.

LaMarschallin · 01/08/2026 12:38

"Projectile vomiting" - no-one ever just vomits apparently.
All vomiting is necessarily somewhat projectile, or your stomach contents wouldn't be expelled from your mouth.
"Projectile vomiting" is a specific symptom and implies particular pathology.
People love to sound familiar with medical terms and end up sounding more ignorant.

5128gap · 01/08/2026 12:46

Friendlygingercat · 01/08/2026 11:21

Yes phrases like📧

Gives me the ick
Suck it up
Use your words
Boils my piss
No is a complete sentence

Agree. Can't stand the aggressive clichés. The ones like reaching out and holding space are twee, but warmly meant. The ones on your list are for the unpleasant and unoriginal. I just think, what sort of person sees a way of being unpleasant and thinks "ooh, that's good, I'll copy that"?

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