When business clichés are overused they

See also: Formal and Informal Writing

Clichés are words or phrases that have been overused in writing or speech, and have therefore become largely meaningless. They include examples such as the classic ‘leave no stone unturned’ and the more modern ‘it is what it is’. In many ways, much ‘jargon’, especially management jargon, has now become a cliché as well, because it has little meaning, and is often used solely to fill space or make the user sound important.

This page discusses the effect of including clichés in your speech or writing, and why it is better to avoid them. It suggests some example clichés, though there are many others, and provides some suggestions for alternative phrases.

The Effect of Clichés

Research shows that people are so used to seeing and hearing clichés that they literally overlook them in writing or speech.

As far as the reader is concerned, a cliché might as well not be there. The eye (and brain) simply skips over the words. In other words, these phrases are not just meaningless, they are actively ignored. Their use can also make a writer look lazy and unimaginative.

Worse still, some clichés have taken on almost the opposite meaning because we are so cynical about them. For example, when you hear the phrase ‘We’ll leave no stone unturned”, how often have you assumed that it actually means “We won’t do anything, but we want you to think we will”? Similarly, the phrase ‘I promise’ almost always means ‘I won’t manage this’.

It is therefore essential to avoid using clichés in your writing if you wish it to have any impact, or even to seem interesting.

Identifying Clichés

To avoid clichés, you need to be able to identify them effectively.

The box below shows some examples of clichés, but there are many more. You may find our page on Deciphering Jargon helpful in identifying some more.

Examples of Clichés

The following list highlights some common clichés used in English.

It is by no means comprehensive.

It is also important to be aware that clichés are often different in different cultures and in different environments.

• In a nutshell.
• It’s not rocket science.
• At long last.
• Going forward.
• All walks of life.
• At the end of the day.
• Bring to the table.
• I'm giving it 110%.
• Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
• As bold as brass.
• Uphill battle.
• If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
• Too little, too late.
• Sleeping like the dead.
• Actions speak louder than words.
• Two wrongs don’t make a right.
• Never say never.
• Laughter is the best medicine.
• People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

You can probably think of both other examples of clichés and/or people who overuse them both in writing and also in verbal communication.

One way to identify clichés is to consider your own reaction to certain phrases. For example:

• Do you find yourself irritated by someone’s use of a particular phrase?
• Do you feel that you are hearing or reading a word or phrase a lot?
• Does your eye or ear skip over the phrase, making it a bit like verbal ‘white noise’?

All these are signs of a potential cliché—in both your own and someone else’s writing.

Spotting a cliché in your own writing or speech is often harder than seeing them in someone else’s words. After all, if you thought it was a cliché, you wouldn’t use it!

Some ways that you can spot and avoid clichés in your own writing include:

1. Be aware of what you are writing

The best way to avoid clichés is simply to become more aware of what you are writing.

Clichés tend to slip in when we stop concentrating—effectively, when our brains switch off a bit. They really are a sign of your brain being lazy. Try to concentrate on what you are writing, and make sure that you are phrasing it as clearly and succinctly as possible. Think about your intended audience, and what they need to know, and you are likely to write more effectively.

There is more about this in our page on Know Your Audience.

2. If possible, put aside your finished piece of writing for a day or so and read it again

When you are familiar with a piece of writing, you often do not see its flaws.

It is therefore good practice to put your writing aside for 24 hours, before coming back to it and reading it over again. You are more likely to spot typos and other issues, including the use of clichés.

One very good question to ask at that point is whether your brain is skipping over any phrases. That is a sure sign of a cliché. Also check whether you have included any common phrases that may not yet be clichés, but are coming close.

Ideally, you want your work to be fresh and original.

New analogies and metaphors are good, but tired old phrases, or previously used ideas are not.

3. Check for any unnecessary padding

Using clichés often feels like unnecessary padding. You may therefore find that you have used them subconsciously if you are worried about reaching a required word count.

Phrases such as ‘going forward’, and ‘at the end of the day’ are often subconsciously used as a way to pad out the text. However, they have no real meaning—even to you.

If you can simply delete a whole phrase without changing the meaning of the sentence, it may well be a cliché. Cliché or not, it is almost certainly irrelevant!

4. Try rephrasing your text to make it more concise

Another good tip is to try to shorten your writing.

Making your sentences more concise, and using shorter, simpler words and phrases is usually a helpful way to ensure that you are not using either clichés or jargon.

5. Ask somebody else to proof-read your work

Regardless of the need to avoid clichés, it is often helpful to ask someone else to read your work.

If you are a student, you can read and check each other’s assignments. This will help to ensure that you are not using clichés or other unnecessary padding words and phrases. It will also check whether your work is as clear as possible, or if any sentences are over-complex. Finally, it can help to identify whether you have inadvertently included any typos or grammatical errors.

A final thought

Avoiding clichés is not impossible—but it can still be quite challenging unless you are concentrating. The best way to do this is to be aware of your writing, and particularly to think about your audience and their needs.

We're all guilty of using the occasional buzzword or cliché at work. But it turns out that abusing these words and phrases can seriously hurt your credibility.

They're annoying and confusing — and often meaningless — and when you're communicating with busy people in the business world, they don't have the time to decipher your message.

"You need to avoid business jargon and be clear in order to get your point across and be heard," says Darlene Price, president of Well Said, Inc., and author of "Well Said! Presentations and Conversations That Get Results."

She says most clichés were once a fresh, creative way of expressing a popular thought or common idea. "But because of long, excessive use, each phrase has lost its originality, impact, and even meaning." 

Here are 26 overused business clichés, and how to replace them with what you really mean:

"Drink the Kool-Aid."

"Do you really want to refer to the tragic 1978 Jonestown suicides?" Price asks. If not, say what you really mean. Either, "I agree and give you my full support," or conversely, "We need more critical examination before making this decision."

"Break down the silos."

"What's a silo?" asked the employee to her boss, who used this phrase to describe how one department should collaborate with another, Price says. "Instead say, 'share information,' or 'work together,' or 'cooperate with each other.'" 

"Don't throw him/her under the bus."

"This murderous image may be replaced with, 'Don't name and blame another for a mistake,'" says Price.

"It is what it is."

Not only can this phrase sound flippant and resigned, but what is "it?" Instead say, "We can't change the fact that…; therefore, I recommend..."

"Do more with less."

"This trite cliché is vague," says Price. "Do more of what with less of what? At it's worst, this stale phrase is a corporate euphemism for, 'Do more work with less pay,' or 'Work smarter,' as though the listener is not already doing so." Instead, be specific, make your argument, and say exactly what you mean. 

"Tee it up." 

Unless you're a golfer, this phrase makes no sense. Instead say, "Here's Bill to introduce our next topic."

"Take it offline."

"What does 'offline' mean?" asks Price. " Be clear about your intended action: 'Let's continue this discussion at the break,' or 'I'll send you a follow-up email with those details by noon tomorrow.'"

"Open the kimono." 

"Do you really want to expose the nudity of one wearing a traditional Japanese robe? Replace this odd and tasteless expression with words you actually mean: to clearly and accurately share all required and necessary information," Price suggests.

"Take it to the next level."

Are you referring to specific, measurable performance levels, which are familiar to the listener? "If not, don't use this empty phrase because nobody knows what the next level looks like," she says. Instead say, "We need to sell 30% more this year, and here's why..."

"It's a paradigm shift."

This term is overused corporate jargon from the 1990s. Instead say, "fundamental change," "major difference," or "critical adjustment."

"We can't boil the ocean." 

Instead of saying this preposterous phrase, be direct and clear about an impossible or unreasonable task. For example: "We can't produce, inspect, and ship 20,000 units in one week." 

"Low-hanging fruit."

"Please don't refer to a prospect or customer as 'fruit' ready to be effortlessly picked," says Price. "Instead say, 'It's easier to sell to these customers because...'"

"Let's circle back." 

This phrase is corporate lingo for "Let's discuss this issue at a later time." So, just say that instead.

"Out of pocket."

Avoid using this nonsensical reference in speech or auto-reply emails. Replace it with, "I'm on vacation through Friday. May I call you Monday at 9 a.m.?" Or, "I'm currently out of the office. For assistance please contact..."

"One throat to choke."

This malicious-sounding phrase instills more fear than accountability in listeners. Instead say, "I want one point of contact for this project who is fully informed and available 24/7. Who's it going to be?" Price suggests.

"Move the needle."

"Unless you're demonstrating an odometer or other measuring instrument, say instead, 'Make a significant difference,' or, 'Have a measureable impact,'" says Price.

"Bite the bullet."

"During the US Civil War, injured soldiers clenched a bullet between their teeth during surgery to distract them from the pain," she explains. "Instead, say it clearly: 'Make a tough decision,' or 'Take a difficult step.'"

"Run it up the flagpole."

Price says this hackneyed catchphrase has been around since the 1950s. "Instead use the words, 'pilot test,' 'focus group,' or say, 'Let's present the idea tentatively and see if it receives a favorable reaction.'"

"On the bleeding edge."

Lose this gory, painful image from the early 1980s, and instead say "the most advanced technology on the planet."

"At the end of the day."

Unless you're speaking about an actual event occurring at 6 p.m., say, "Finally," or "Ultimately," or "When everything else has been taken into consideration." 

"Par for the course." 

"This timeworn term is senseless to non-golfers, and overused to those who do understand it," Price says. Instead say, "This is normal and expected," or "a common occurrence."

"Think outside the box."

"This phrase began sweeping the business world in the 1970s as management consultants challenged their clients to solve the 'Nine Dots' puzzle," she explains. "Listeners unfamiliar with the analogy are likely to ask, 'What box?'" Instead say, "Think differently," or "Think from a new perspective," or "Stretch your imagination."

"Peel back the layers of the onion."

The meaning of this predictable phrase is more clearly expressed by saying, "Take a closer look." Similarly, replace "drill down," "unpack," and "double-click" with "carefully examine."

"Limited bandwidth." 

Avoid using this technical computing term to tell someone you're too busy to help. Instead say, "I'm swamped this week — would Monday work?" or, "I have back-to-back meetings all day. May we meet at 5 p.m.?"

"If/When push comes to shove."

This worn out phrase may be replaced with, "If the situation worsens," or, "When the condition becomes more intense," or, "If absolutely necessary." 

"Synergize."

This overused buzzword became popular 25 years ago in Stephen Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," she says. "It's a powerful concept when stated simply and clearly: as Big Bird from 'Sesame Street' sings, 'With just a little cooperation, we can make it through, me and you, me and you.'"

Every time you speak or write you have an opportunity to express an idea, suggestion, or insight that is distinctively your own, Price says. "It may be easier and quicker to fill your speech with familiar stock phrases; however, clarity — not convenience — is the goal. You'll gain more credibility and engage with listeners more effectively when you say what you mean, in your own words."