Discover the 7 Words Classy People Never Use—Are You Guilty of Saying Them?
3) “Literally”
The word “Literally” has become a common fixture in everyday conversations. Its original meaning is to indicate that something is exactly, truly, or strictly the case, without exaggeration.
However, its overuse and misuse have led to it often being used to emphasize a point, even when the statement isn’t literally true. This can lead to confusion and can dilute the impact of what you’re trying to say.
Interestingly, in the English language, the misuse of “literally” has become so widespread that dictionary definitions have been updated to include its informal usage as an intensifier for statements that are not literally true.
