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Have you recently said "the elephant in the room" and "move the needle" unironically at work? Then you need to start purging jargon from your writing and speaking right now.

Here's a look at the most annoying phrases and words being used at work, according to the following GoToMeeting infographic.

"Helicopter view" ranks high as a phrase that's obnoxious and overused. "Try a 'broad view of the business' instead," suggests GoToMeeting.

Also, consider no longer saying "ducks in a row" when at work (or home or anywhere). "This term originates from bowling, before they had a machine to set pins automatically," states the infographic. "The bowler would need to get their 'ducks in a row' before throwing the ball down the lane."

Another annoying expression is "move the needle." Instead of using that term, consider using "provoke a reaction."

To see the list of annoying phrases that you need to avoid, check out the infographic.


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50 Horrible Cliches You Need to Stop Writing and Saying Right Now [Infographic]

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

image of Verónica Jarski

Veronica Jarski is managing editor at Agorapulse and a former editor and senior writer at MarketingProfs.

Twitter: @Veronica_Jarski

LinkedIn: Veronica Jarski