At a Glance
- Michigan college students name “6-7” and “cooked” as top overused words.
- 1,400 submissions came from all 50 states and countries like Uzbekistan, Brazil, Japan.
- The 50th Banished Words List includes “demure,” “incentivize,” “perfect,” “gift/gifted,” “my bad,” and “reach out.”
- Why it matters: It shows how language trends shift and how college surveys capture student slang.
Michigan college students vote “6-7” and “cooked” as the most overused words in the 50th Banished Words List released Thursday by Lake Superior State University. The list, which started in 1976 as a New Year’s Eve party idea, now reflects the slang of Gen Z and other students.
The Banished Words List
Lake Superior State University released the list after receiving 1,400 submissions from all 50 states and several countries. The top 10 words are:
- “6-7”
- “cooked”
- “demure”
- “incentivize”
- “perfect”
- “gift/gifted”
- “my bad”
- “reach out”
David Travis said:
> “The list definitely represents the fad and vernacular trends of the younger generation.”
Why It Matters
Dictionary.com even picked “6-7” as its 2025 word of the year, while other dictionaries chose “slop” and “rage bait.” The choice highlights how new slang can become mainstream.
Dictionary.com editors wrote:
> “Don’t worry, because we’re all still trying to figure out exactly what it means.”
Student Voices
Alana Bobbitt, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Michigan, says she enjoys using the term:
Alana Bobbitt said:
> “I find joy in it.”
Jalen Brezzell, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, does not share the enthusiasm:
Jalen Brezzell said:
> “Never. I don’t really get the joke.”
He also noted his use of “cooked”:
Jalen Brezzell said:
> “I’ve always used the word ‘cooked,'”
Trends Over Time
In 2019, the centuries-old Latin phrase “quid pro quo” topped the list, and in 2017 “fake news” received the most votes. David Travis predicts that “6-7” will fade next year.
David Travis said:
> “I think ‘6-7,’ next year, will be gone.”
He also said some words will last forever:
David Travis said:
> “I don’t think they’ll ever go away, like ‘at the end of the day,'”
> “I feel comfortable using it. I started using it when I was young. A lot of us older people are still using it.”
Key Takeaways
- “6-7” and “cooked” lead the 50th Banished Words List.
- The list shows how social media influences slang.
- Some terms may vanish quickly, while others endure.
The survey highlights how college students keep language evolving, and how a playful list can spark discussion about what words belong in everyday speech.
