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11 Mar 2025 Don’t say that

Posted at 00:17h in Tuesday-Email by

Hard to believe it’s already March – and almost mid-March at that! The first two months of the year just zipped by. I was reminded of this while digging through my inbox this weekend, when I stumbled on an email I’d flagged in early January.

It was about Lake Superior State University’s annual Banished Words List—a quirky tradition they’ve been running since 1976 (I had no idea it’s been going on that long!).

Every year, they highlight the most overused, misused, or just plain cringe-worthy words and phrases that deserve to be retired.

I meant to dive into it sooner, but like so many things, it got buried under a pile of other tasks.

But now that I’ve had a chance to go through the list, some of these words made me shake my head.

“Skibidi”… Seriously? Is it a word? A cocktail? A TikTok trend? I even asked my Gen Z daughter, Iphy, to explain it to me, but she just rolled her eyes. So, I’m still in the dark on that one.

When it comes to some of the other offenders, I’m totally on board with banning “IYKYK” (If you know, you know)—the exclusionary vibe puts me off—and it’s definitely time to put “Sorry Not Sorry” out of its misery. I won’t be sorry if I never hear that one again!

I also have a few of my own that I think need to be retired. These are the ones that really grind my gears every time I hear them:

  • “Quick question” – We all know it’s never quick. Just ask the question already.
  • “No problem” – Was anyone actually implying it was a problem? “You’re welcome” works just fine.
  • “Flexing” – Unless you’re in the gym showing off your muscles, let’s move on from this one.
  • “It is what it is” – This phrase is like a verbal shrug. It doesn’t add anything to the conversation, and we deserve more than that, especially when things get tough.
  • “Maid” – Yes, it’s in the name of my company, but that doesn’t mean it’s not outdated, inaccurate, and it even feels derogatory. The term is tied to old stereotypes, and let’s be real—housecleaning is a lot more than what “maid” implies.

So, while I meant to get to this sooner, now that March is here, it feels like the ideal time for a vocab spring cleaning.

And if you’re looking to tidy up more than just verbal clutter, Maid Brigade’s got you covered!

Cheerfully,

Robin Murphy