13 annoying verbs

Maybe you overhear someone use them on the train or while you’re waiting in line to buy coffee. You might have seen them in an online pop-up ad that you can’t close fast enough. Perhaps your kids use them to purposefully annoy you.

Here are a few verbs that can drive corporate communicators crazy:

1. Conversate: Is there something wrong with using “talk” or “converse”?

Questionable: “Maybe we should try to conversate with Grayson instead of sending an email.”

Better: “Maybe we should talk to Grayson instead of sending an email.”

2. Endeavor: When used in corporate communications, “endeavor” can seem weak and unnecessary.

Questionable: “ At Noddles Company, we endeavor to meet our customers’ needs.”

Better: “At Noddles Company, we work hard to meet our customers’ needs.”

3. Empower: Forbes referred to this word as “most condescending transitive verb ever.”