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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Original poster
WheresThatCatGoneNow · 01/08/2026 14:57

BarrelofBeer · 01/08/2026 14:54

Yes/No.......everyone says this all the time and it means nothing.
E.g.
"Did you have a good weekend?"
"Yes no we just pottered about at home."

Yes No!
Which is it FFS?
Just say what you mean! It's not difficult.

OP posts:
BarrelofBeer · 01/08/2026 14:54

Yes/No.......everyone says this all the time and it means nothing.
E.g.
"Did you have a good weekend?"
"Yes no we just pottered about at home."

CeliaCanth · 01/08/2026 14:51

“Kicked off”, “rocked up” and “swap out” all irritate me. I also loathe “gifted”.

At work the obsession seems to be with “building out” things - usually lists of content, which in the past were developed, compiled or even pulled together - we’re nothing to do with construction.

LaMarschallin · 01/08/2026 14:40

PotatoRasta · 01/08/2026 13:07

“Pouring into” . For example, my teacher poured into me!
It sounds disgusting but I keep seeing it on social media!

It's the first time I've seen that so had to Google it.
It does not sound like the good thing it's meant to be!

Stressedandeffedoff · 01/08/2026 14:39

Agree with quite a few of these.
I’m also a “gifted” hater.

Mathair2 · 01/08/2026 14:36

Thehop · 01/08/2026 13:06

Famalam, holibobs and #makingmemories

everything is making bloody memories

I would also like to add the word "jolly".

Mokel · 01/08/2026 14:06

Lemonorzo · 01/08/2026 12:14

Picky bits

I’m sorry that is a term a 4 year old uses.

Hollibobs sounds like a word that a 2 year old would say instead of holidays

Original poster
WheresThatCatGoneNow · 01/08/2026 13:16

InterestedDad37 · 01/08/2026 13:09

The only people entitled to "reach out" are the original members of The Four Tops

Great comment!

Motown rocks! 👊

OP posts:
InterestedDad37 · 01/08/2026 13:09

The only people entitled to "reach out" are the original members of The Four Tops

shaleand · 01/08/2026 13:08

I hate (mostly seen on MN) “our mantra is…”

PotatoRasta · 01/08/2026 13:07

“Pouring into” . For example, my teacher poured into me!
It sounds disgusting but I keep seeing it on social media!

Thehop · 01/08/2026 13:06

Famalam, holibobs and #makingmemories

everything is making bloody memories

iloveanearlynight · 01/08/2026 13:03

AvogadrosNumber · 01/08/2026 13:00

'Back in the day'

Oh I like that one.

AvogadrosNumber · 01/08/2026 13:00

'Back in the day'

iloveanearlynight · 01/08/2026 12:56

Obsessed with... FFS. No one can simply be fond of anything any more. You're not obsessed, you just like it. Stop exaggerating. An obsession is a serious mental state and takes over your life.

ToadRage · 01/08/2026 12:56

I think it means more than that I would only use it for someone who i hadn't spoken to in a long while and may have been a little nervous to speak to for example when my aunt died, my cousin 'reached out' to my Mum to invite her to the funeral as my Mum had almost cut herself off from that side if the family after Dad died.

It used to annoy me when my manager referred to the end of trading as 'close of play'. Why couldn't she just say closing time like everyone else?

Lexy2345 · 01/08/2026 12:54

I hate it when people say ‘it’s giving messy/smart/break up etc’ 😭

OriginalSkang · 01/08/2026 12:51

Management at my work keep talking about 'pinch points' when they mean busy periods, and it makes me livid for some reason

Everythingtidy · 01/08/2026 12:49

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."

The verb to get doesn’t just mean to fetch, you know 😉

It also means to receive, and that’s (obviously!) the sense in which it’s used when someone says ‘Can I get a coffee, please?’

Likewise, when you get a letter, or get a birthday present, you receive them.

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"?

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.

onlyoneoftheregimentinstep · 01/08/2026 12:37

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

LaMarschallin · 01/08/2026 12:34

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.

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.

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.

Mathair2 · 01/08/2026 12:27

Pre-prepared...

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