Top 25 modern words and phrases Brits hate most - see the totes amazeballs list

22 November 2023 , 10:52

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List of some of the words that make us mad - stock image (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Amazeballs has been voted the most annoying word in modern culture. Some 34% of us cannot stand the informal adjective, which is used to describe something extremely good or impressive.

Eight in 10 of us insist there are certain words and phrases they find hugely irritating, the poll for research agency Perspectus Global found.

A quarter of people admitted they have sighed with disappointment when they have heard someone using a cringeworthy word.

Holibobs (29%), awesomeness (28%) and nom nom nom (26%) are in the top 25 most irritating words, as are totes, short for totally (26%), and bae, short for babe (25%).

And it seems the terms hanky-panky (23%) and nookie (21%) are highly likely to put a potential partner off.

'I don't want children staying up late at weekends - I really need adult time'

A third (27%) hate hearing lolz, the abbreviated term for laughing out loud, while a further 27% don't think there is much banter to be had with the word bantz, which means to share playful remarks with another person or group.

Other modern terms that leave us wincing include sorry, not sorry (22%), coolio (19%) and my bad (15%).

Neuroscientist Dr Rachel Taylor said: “A word may have connections with all sorts of emotional relevance. Amazeballs is likely to tap into the embarrassment emotion, because it’s seen as silly, old fashioned and uncool.”

WORDS AND PHRASES THAT ANNOY BRITS MOST

1: Amazeballs - 34%

2: Holibobs – 29%

3: Awesomeness 28%

4: LOLZ – 27%

5: Bantz – 27%

6: Nom nom nom – 26%

7: Totes – 26%

'My hubby wants to name our baby after his mum but her beliefs are too extreme'

8: Bae – 25%

9: Din dins – 25%

10: Chrimbo - 23%

11: Hankie-pankie – 23%

12: Wifey – 23%

13: Sorry, not sorry – 22%

14: Nookie – 21%

15: Happy Friyay – 21%

16: Drinkies - 20%

17: No problemo – 20%

18: Fur baby – 19%

19: Coolio – 19%

20: Methinks - 19%

21: Hot girl summer - 18%

22: No offence, but - 18%

23: Bossing it - 17%

24: Wine-o-clock - 17%

25: My bad - 15%

Stephen White