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We humans are so interesting to ourselves that we have plenty of sciences studying us from our biology to our behavior and speech. Due to these studies, nearly everything we do or think has a certain name.

For example, did you know that disliking certain words is called word aversion? Well, if you didn't, you do now. Plus, you have a full list of examples of the words people feel averse to, which were shared on one of the r/ask threads. So, let's jump into this list and see if we also feel gross about these words!

More info: Reddit

#3

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Bae

“Oh my god i miss my bae so much🥺🥺🥺”


STFU.

Smiletron1 , Hamann La Report

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LizzieBoredom
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or when 'Bro' is pronounced as 'Bra'. I'm old. I don't need this kind of stress.

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Many of those who spend at least a part of their time online know that the internet hates the word “moist.” Funnily enough, it doesn’t appear on our list, but we have many others that people despise. 

But why do people hate “moist” so much? Scientists say it’s because of the word’s associations with bodily functions and parts. Some people argue they don’t like its phonics, but then they don’t have the same reaction to the words that sound kind of similar, like “foist” or “rejoiced.” Plus, when “moist” is paired with food words, people aren’t as disgusted by it. 

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#4

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why "preggers" makes my neck twinge.

Dragonwithamonocle , Jonathan Borba Report

#5

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Hate it when people shorten things needlessly, like saying "preesh" instead of "I appreciate it". Lazy m**********r, just say "thanks".

THElaytox , ELEVATE Report

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Glix Drap
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And there's me thinking that is was short for precious. Thinks of Gollum saying "Preesh, my preesh".

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Some Redditors say that the hate for this word is either a cultural or internet joke, which has been referenced in TV shows like “How I Met Your Mother” or “Dead Like Me.” People aren’t as bothered by the word as they claim to be for attention or the joke’s sake. After all, the word itself is normal; it doesn’t even have a negative connotation, just unpleasant associations. 

Interestingly, the phenomenon of people’s hatred towards certain words has a name – word aversion. In some sources, it is also called logomisia. Basically, it’s when people feel distaste for the sound or sight of a word because it feels redundant, overused, or simply unpleasant to them. 

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#7

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Vacay. I’m overcome with an urge to destroy every time I hear it.

What in gods name is wrong with me?

Les_Ismore , Asad Photo Maldives Report

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#9

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Panties.

Something about it sounds so skeevy. JUST SAY UNDERWEAR 🤢🤢🤢

Eta I had no idea so many people were so passionately devisive about this word lol.

nightmaretheory , Kaboompics.com Report

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Ripley
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I also loathe "panties" as a word. I agree with the OP - it sounds skeezy. As an Aussie, we say "undies", which is definitely the superior term. 😁

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A professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Chicago, Jason Riggle says that logomisia is similar to phobias – people with word aversion are disgusted by certain words instead of being simply annoyed by them, basically having a visceral reaction. 

Apparently, words like the mentioned “moist,” “vomit,” “mucus” and “phlegm,” to mention a few, gross quite a lot of people out. Again, most of the time this is because they have associations with something gross, like bodily fluids.

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Here, people on Reddit were discussing how the word “phlegm” might be even grosser than the infamous “moist,” because the latter at least has some positive connotations, while the former doesn’t. 


#10

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Toxic. It seems everything is toxic these days: relationships, bosses, employees, teachers, books and friends; everything except actual poisons.

Silly-Resist8306 , Davide Baraldi Report

#11

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Woke being used in a professional setting.

Taiyella , LinkedIn Sales Navigator Report

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Ace
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Woke being used in any setting to mean anything other than the past tense of waking up from sleep.

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#12

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Furbaby, away and sh*te it’s a dog or cat (I adore both).

wazbang , Chevanon Photography Report

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Magpie
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I adore my pets. They are part of my family. I never wanted children. My beautiful pets are NOT babies. Furbaby is creepy somehow. Does the human child have some sort of severe Hirsutism? Do I need to know about it, in order to support this adult?

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That’s why people working in journalism and especially marketing have to be wary that some people simply can’t stand certain words and it influences their behavior as consumers. For instance, they might be inclined to not purchase a product if its description, packaging, or marketing includes a word they feel averse to. 

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For a second, let’s come back to the notorious “moist.” Research has found that if this word is featured on hygiene products, consumers are less likely to buy them because it repels them. At the same time, if the same word was on food packages, people wouldn’t be as repulsed by it, because in this context the word has a non-repulsive meaning.  

Again, it proves that while sometimes word aversion is real, in other cases it is more context-based. 


#13

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Every time someone says INITIATIVE in a work meeting a baby seal dies.

csizsek , fauxels Report

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Gaius214
Community Member
2 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I keep an old D20 in my pocket for this reason. Either toss it to them & say nothing happens until you roll or post a image & say same thing. I'll not mention what happens if they roll a 1.

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#14

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Rizz.

Because I don't want to be associated with that word.

rizurper , kat wilcox Report

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Ace
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm lucky enough to have never encountered it, no idea what it means.

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#15

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Daddy was made too inappropriate.

Pissy-chamber , Tatiana Syrikova Report

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Still, it’s normal for people to have words they dislike, even if it’s seemingly for no proper reason. This list is full of examples of them, from kind of weird ones to completely understandable ones.

Knowing that a lot of aversion to words comes from context, it’s quite likely that these people heard/saw these words being used in an unpleasant context and it drove them to hatred, which is absolutely normal. After all, without it, this entertaining list wouldn’t have been possible, so at least some goodness was put into the world with them, right? 

Do you have a word you hate seemingly for no reason? Share with us in the comments! 


#16

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Synergy.

As a company that word for us is a deal breaker. We have a rule where once uttered during any meeting we get up and leave.

sashalav , Diva Plavalaguna Report

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Glix Drap
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Let's replace it with collaboration or partnership or teamwork (so last year). Mmh, perhaps not. How about boogie on down.

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#17

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Networking (shudder).

MozzaStyx , Matheus Bertelli Report

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#18

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Orientate - just seems like one too many syllables.

OttabMike , Valentin Antonucci Report

#19

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why "Utilize." Please just say "use" and save some syllables.

Manifest_something , Kaboompics.com Report

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LizzieBoredom
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And when did 'price' become 'price point'?? I mean what the hell? Sorry, I meant what the hell point?

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#21

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Ick, gives me the ick.

d*ckmandoo , Polina Zimmerman Report

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Angela C
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I assume anyone who says something "gives them the ick" is actually 5 years old because it sounds like something a child that age would say.

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#22

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Naughty, waifu, husbando. i feel SO gross just saying it.

triangular_snail , RDNE Stock project Report

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#24

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Niblings.

ashley_spashley , Samer Daboul Report

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David
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Niblings is a term cannibals use to refer to feed stock that is still young and tender. /J But for real I had to google because I've never heard this used. -=-- "A nibling is a gender-neutral term for the child of one's sibling, such as a niece or nephew. The word is a combination of the "n" in "niece" and "nephew" with "sibling". Linguist Samuel Martin coined the term in the early 1950s, but it was relatively obscure for many decades. It has become more widely used in recent years. "

Upstaged75
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't like it, but I also don't like repeatedly saying "my niece and nephew".

Bookworm
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate it when referring to adults. It's infantilizing to me.

Namea
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It encompasses non binary family so I like it. I can use nibling for my sister's non binary kid without saying "my sister's kid" every time or misgendering them.

Leekier
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree but I still wouldn’t use it, because I’d have to spend too long explaining it.

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Bored Trash Panda
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a term used a lot for non-binary kids of your siblings, like niece and nephew, but gender neutral. It's an actual word, not slang.

Evagating Beewolf (she/they)
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

it sounds like nibblings to me. But it's better than someone I know - she uses sibling-spawn.

oblong mongoose (they/them)
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i don't think this one should be on here because it's the gender-neutral term for niece or nephew. i hate getting referred to as "______'s niece" and i don't use those pronouns anymore. i also HATEHATEHATE it when people still call me by my deadname.

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#25

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Mouthfeel.

get-tha-lotion , Rodolfo Clix Report

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MoMcB
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We absolutely use it to describe a product we are testing, mouth feel is important, from everything from sausages to cakes.

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#26

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Potty has got to be the SINGLE worst word on the planet.

DEFLARGEN , senivpetro Report

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Ace
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If it's ever used by an adult except when referring to young children then yes.

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#27

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Agenda. What's on your agenda today? God I get so irrationally annoyed.

NotAnotherAmerican , Startup Stock Photos Report

#28

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Slit.

Betty0042 , note thanun Report

#29

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Succulent. Unless you're talking about a plant.

anon , Magda Ehlers Report

#30

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Ointment, I hate that word!

iS**tSkittles , Lina Kivaka Report

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Ben Aziza
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Salve is the cooler cousin! (I just wanna use the vocabulary I learned from RPG games XD)

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#31

"Panties. Just Say Underwear": 31 Words People Hate But Can't Explain Why Entrepreneur.

JCarr110 , PICHA Stock Report

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Ace
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's always had a negative connotation to me, as in the person who adds no value to a product, a project, a system, a company. When my employer started using "Entrepreneurial Mindset" as one of its core values for employees I knew the writing was on the wall.

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