A typical habit that most of us develop over our careers is relying on crutch words in our communications.

What are crutch words?

The superfluous words that pad our sentences without adding extra meaning are crutch words. The word “interesting” is an excellent example. This article outlines the impact that “interesting” had on the author.

Stop Using the Word Interesting at Work

After one particularly important idea was mentioned, someone responded with “That’s a really interesting point.” And then, crickets. OK, not exactly, but it definitely brought the conversation to a halt—until one person took the long silence as an opportunity to speak up. Break that down for me.” What did he mean by “interesting?” I sure didn’t know—and neither did he really. Read more…

Do you want to recognize other catch words?

This feature gives a lengthy list and after you read you will be amazed to see how many you use each day.

A Literal Epidemic of Crutch Words

… it appears we’re living in a crutch word epidemic….we didn’t list all the crutch words, because it appears we’re living in a crutch word epidemic. There are so many! Many of you got in touch to share your own hate-favorites as well as to complain about your experiences with coworkers who are always saying, “Let me be clear,” or otherwise beloved friends who won’t stop peppering their sentences with fascinating when you’re pretty sure they mean anything but. Read more…

Getting rid of crutch words will help you look competent and polished. The best approach to eliminating crutch words is to cut them from your everyday use. Be mindful of when you use them and reflect what you speak before you say it. Keep your sentences short and uncomplicated. Don’t be anxious about silence. Pauses allow you to think and your audience to digest your comments. Improvement will take time because as with any skill, practice makes perfect.