As 2021 comes to an end, it's the perfect time for reflection. And let's be frank: Many of us wish the people in our lives would reflect>1. Bandwidth
If you're talking about internet usage, go for it. But today, a lot of people use "bandwidth" to refer to human capacities to take>2. End-user
As with "bandwidth," here's a computer word that spread to more general use, especially in marketing and advertising.
Our main problem with it when it leaves the technical realm and goes into general use is that it's dehumanizing and impersonal. Why not use people-centric words like customer, buyer or client?
3. Granular
Granular first made a major blip>4. Hack
To hack used to mean "to cut with heavy blows." Then came the computer age, and a new definition (courtesy of programmers). Now millions of enthusiastic people are blithely hacking all sorts of things — from cookie recipes to clogged toilets.
To make things worse, these new hacks are sometimes as complicated as the old-fashioned "quick solutions," which means a lot of hacks aren't even hacks.
5. 'I did a thing'
This is a petty>6. 'It is what it is'
This phrase is>7. Influencer
You can't escape influencers, although we'd like to try. Today pretty much anyone with even a small social media following is called an influencer — and businesses toss them a few bucks to tout, say, their massage oils, in the hopes it will increase sales.
(A frightening side note: New related terms are emerging, like thinkfluencers, microinfluencers, and nanoinfluencers.)
8. Jab
Jab, which means a quick, sharp blow or an injection into your body, was used mainly in Britain. But it made its way across the pond through Covid vaccination coverage and caught>9. The new normal
We've used this phrase a lot ourselves in 2021. But it isn't as new as you might think. While "the new normal" became a popular phrase during the 2008 financial crisis, it was actually first used after World War I to discuss the transition to a new world after the war.
Fast forward to 2021 and it has skyrocketed in use to talk about the Covid era. Okay, things have changed, the new normal is different from the old normal. We all get it — but enough already!
10. Pivot
LinkedIn listed this as the word of the year in 2020. And as you'd expect, many people listed this as the most word of the year in 2021.
In business, pivoting means shifting direction in a major way. But it's lost its meaning, since everyone is now "pivoting" all the time. Let's put this>11. 'Take it offline'
"If>12. Thought leader
This ostensibly cool-sounding term ultimately has little meaning. While it's supposed to describe those people who have such amazing ideas that other people follow them, "leader" itself seems fine. "Thought leader" comes across as a contrived, "let's make up a new word that has more heft" term.
13. 'We remain cautious'
Sometimes, "we remain cautious" is used to say nothing — meaning "we're not going to say much because who knows?" Other times, it's used to say "not to worry; we're not going to do anything untoward."
Either way, it's unnecessary verbiage. Of course you're being cautious; we'd hope so!
14. WFH
"WFH" started as a useful acronym. There was a definite need for it when most of us really working from home and needed something quick to text.
But now, it's overused: WFH clothes, WFH hacks (see above), WFH everything. Work from home is an important part of the new work reality, so what if we stop calling it out as something special each and every time?
15. Zooming
For the past year, everyone was "Zooming," even if they used Microsoft Teams. We're tired of Zooming, and we're just as tired of the word.
The big question is: Will "Zoom" as a generic term stick, or will it go the way of Xerox? We'll Google "Zoom" next year and see. (And yes, we use "Google" generically!)
