2026 banned words list has been released and it's bad news for gen-z and millenials

You're probably thinking what on Earth is a 'banished words list' and why has it been an annual thing for half a century?

Well, Lake Superior State University (LSSU) in Michigan, US, took what started as a 'whimsical New Year’s Eve party idea in 1976' to a yearly reflection on slang words 'that wear out their welcome'.

LSSU say they have 'carried the torch' ever since former public relations director W.T. (Bill) Rabe showcased the first 'List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English because of mis-, mal-, over-use, or general uselessness'.

After over 1,400 submissions were sent in, the university compiled their top 10 list of the most popular annoying words used in 2025.

Here is LSSU's 50th annual 'banished words list' and if you've got kids, you can probably guess the top one.

You will have definitely heard the top one (Getty Stock Images)

6-7

We've all seen those mad AI videos of Cristiano Ronaldo shouting '6-7' without knowing what it actually means.

Apparently, it originated from a song called 'Doot Doot (6,7)' by American rapper Skrilla.

“There are six or seven reasons why this phrase needs to be stopped,” one participant said.

Demure

Demure means to be intentionally low key or classy online.

“She didn’t argue, didn’t brag, just showed up and won. Very demure,” is an example of it being used on social media.

However, a second person said overuse 'waters down the real meaning', used to describe someone who is reserved, modest and shy.

6-7 was the top most annoying word of 2025 (Getty Stock Images)

Cooked

If you're cooked, you're essentially out of options, or losing badly - a phrase used not only on TikTok but during a bit of sports trash talk.

A third observer suggests to ban 'all forms of the word cook'.

Massive

Massive is perhaps something millennials - born from 1981 to 1996 - still say, and personally speaking, use all the time.

“Way overused! (often incorrectly),” a fourth thought.

Incentivise

“What’s wrong with motivate?” a fifth person asked, as the word appears to be used online as a verb, rather than a noun.

Even Gen Zers - born from 1997 to 2012 - might not like this list (Getty Stock Images)

Full stop

We all need full stops, but actually saying 'full stop' to end a sentence appears to get on people's nerves, as it's 'redundant punctuation'.

Perfect

Perfect is the kind of thing you say in an email to an important client, but don't actually mean.

“There are very few instances when the word actually applies,” a sixth participant pointed out.

“How do they know it’s perfect…what does that mean?” another added.

Gift/gifted

“I found this on the 1994 list, but it will make me feel better to recommend that it be included once again,”an eighth person explains, adding that it's another case of a noun being used as a verb.

My bad

Not only does 'my bad' sound very American, it does immediately scream 90s rom com apology.

Reach out

“What started as a phrase with emotional support overtones has now become absurdly overused,” someone else said.