University 'banishes' 10 popular words used by Gen Z: 'Cringe makes us cringe'

In the 19th century, some French traders coined the word “cliché” to refer to the repetitive clicking sound their printers made when running, per BusinessBalls. The Lake Superior State University (LSSU) believes that like clichés, words and slang tend to lose their essence when they’re overused or misused over time. Each year, they reflect on the previous year’s communication vocabulary and snip out certain words to sustain the essence of words for the years to come. On January 1, 2025, LSSU released the “Banished Words List 2025,” which might make many Taylor Swift fans “cringe.” But as the university President, Dr. David Travis, said in its official press release, “Words matter!”

“Words matter! Old habits can be hard to break, and we’re happy to serve as a resource for the court of public opinion on what should continue to be part of the English language and what needs to be put to rest,” said Dr. Travis. This quirky tradition of clipping out words and phrases dates back to 1976, when former LSSU Public Relations Director Bill Rabe and his colleagues rolled out the first “List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-Use and General Uselessness,” per the press release.

The lighthearted list for 2025 was curated from the submissions collected from across the globe, including from countries like Canada, Australia, Denmark, Germany, India, South Africa, and the United States. The list has ten words, some of which are common slang used by Gen Zers. 

The first word in the list is “cringe,” which is “a Gen Z slang term used to describe something awkward, embarrassing, or hard to watch,” according to EMarketer. “While ‘cringe’ once packed a punch, it has now overstayed its welcome,” the university described. Overuse has diminished the word's impact, making it elicit the same reaction it describes—it makes people "cringe."

“Hearing someone say ‘someone is so cringe’ makes me cringe,” wrote Ash from Newton, Alabama.

The phrase “Gamechanger” is the next item on the university’s list. Merriam-Webster defines it as “a newly introduced element or factor that changes an existing situation or activity in a significant way.” However, the university explains that it has been used too much too often that it doesn’t give the effect of something truly game-changing.

“Nothing is a game changer if everything is a game changer,” said Patrick of Washington.

Another word from the list may end up disappointing the Swifties. But, according to Leah of Holland, Michigan, the word “era” has become “overused and tiring.” “Unless you are Taylor Swift, it might be time to leave ‘era’ behind,” the university wrote in the press release. Next on the list is the word “dropped.” This word was “edgy and cool,” but has now become “more of a letdown.”

While lamenting its farewell, Susan of Littleton said, “Books, music, and all kinds of unnecessary things are currently being ‘dropped’ rather than introduced, released, or offered for sale. Banished for overuse, misuse, abuse, and hurting my head when all that “dropping” stuff lands on me!” Other items in the list include the internet slang “IYKYK (If You Know, You Know)” and the half-hearted expression of apology, “Sorry Not Sorry.”

The witty list also includes a pop slang word: “Skibidi.” According to Venture County Star, “Skibidi” is a slang term from the YouTube series “Skibidi Toilet.” It can be used as an adjective to mean "cool," "bad" or "dumb." The university said the viral word has become “just noise” over the past few years. Nobody cares about a Skibidi toilet, Skibidi fizz, or Skibidi Ohio fanum tax. At this point, nobody even knows what it means and it just annoys people,” grimaced Agatha from Denmark.

Moving on, the last three words in the list are so surprisingly common that seeing them in the list might jolt people into a sudden realization about something that has been hiding in plain sight all the time. “Since when should a percentage be used to describe your agreement in a conversation?” asked Stephen from Sudbury, Ontario, as the university list displayed the entry “100%.” Apart from “100%,” the list wrapped up with the words “utilize” and “period.”

This entire tradition of banishing words may sound too funny to be taken seriously. However, the university members believe that it enables them to reconsider vocabulary. When their 2024 list was released, Sheridan Worth, director of marketing at LSSU, said, "This tradition highlights certain words that are often misused, overused, or have lost their meaning over the past year. It encourages us to laugh at ourselves as we reconsider and reflect on the importance of our vocabulary,” per NPR.

If you want to nominate a word for the university's 2026 "Banished Words List," fill out this form on their website.