4 Websites to Avoid Clichés in Your Writing

The Pervasive Nature of Clichés

The term "cliché" itself originates from the French language. English speakers frequently employ these overused expressions, often without realizing it. Excessive reliance on clichés can detract from the quality of writing and is generally discouraged.

While incorporating them occasionally during speech or writing can feel instinctive, clichés should ideally be avoided. It’s ironic, as demonstrated by the use of a cliché in the preceding sentence!

Understanding What Constitutes a Cliché

Clichés are phrases that were once original but have lost their impact through repeated use. They become ingrained in the English language over time.

Recognizing clichés is a valuable exercise for both English language learners and experienced writers. It allows for conscious elimination of these weakened expressions.

Why Identify and Eliminate Clichés?

The saying suggests that a new cliché emerges every minute. However, actively seeking out and removing clichés can significantly improve the freshness and originality of your writing.

Here are four resources that can assist in identifying and eliminating clichés from your work:

• These websites offer comprehensive lists and explanations of common clichés.
• Utilizing these tools can help refine your writing style.
• They provide a means to ensure your prose remains vibrant and engaging.
• Regularly checking for clichés is a beneficial practice for any writer.

By consciously avoiding clichés, writers can produce more compelling and impactful content.

Cliché Finder

Cliché Finder is a straightforward online tool featuring a prominent text input area.

Users can paste their writing into the box, and the application will attempt to identify and highlight potential clichés in red.

How it Works

The tool operates by comparing the submitted text against a database of frequently used clichés.

If an excessive number of clichés are detected, it suggests a revision of the writing to improve originality.

It’s important to note that the tool isn’t infallible.

Its effectiveness is limited by the comprehensiveness of its cliché list; uncommon or novel clichés may not be flagged, potentially resulting in an error.

Despite this limitation, Cliché Finder serves as a useful initial check for writers seeking to avoid overused phrases.

It encourages a critical review of writing to ensure freshness and impact.

Commonplace Phrases in Sports Commentary

It is difficult to describe this resource as purely enjoyable, however, those who follow sports are consistently exposed to overused phrases by those reporting on the action. Sports journalism, and to a degree political coverage, provides a fertile ground for the proliferation of clichés.

A Familiar Collection

This website compiles a comprehensive list of these frequently repeated expressions. Upon reviewing the content, most sports enthusiasts will undoubtedly recognize each phrase as something they’ve encountered numerous times.

The site also features an interactive 20-question quiz designed to assess one’s aptitude for crafting commentary in the style of a sports reporter.

Beyond the Playing Field

Interestingly, a smaller section of the website is dedicated to identifying and cataloging clichés commonly used in political discourse as well.

The resource serves as a reminder of how readily these expressions are employed across various forms of reporting.

It highlights the challenge of maintaining originality and freshness in journalistic writing.

The Cliché Web Resource

This online resource provides an extensive compilation of commonly used clichés.

The site is meticulously structured, organizing these phrases into distinct categories.

Categorization of Clichés

• General clichés are included.
• Phrases relating to money are also present.
• A dedicated section covers food & drink clichés.
• Animal-related clichés are also cataloged.

Users can conveniently locate specific clichés by searching based on the initial letter of the phrase.

As one of the earliest websites dedicated to clichés, it has been consistently maintained and updated.

Consequently, visitors can anticipate discovering a substantial and current collection of overused expressions.

101 Overused Phrases

Are frequently employed expressions in English unavoidable in the realm of marketing? This online resource originated as a protest against the proliferation of stale wording and phrases found in industry publications, slide presentations, and countless web pages.

Despite the effort, the struggle against these expressions appears to have been unsuccessful. However, the site remains a valuable compendium, cataloging '101 examples' of these linguistic pitfalls that have been identified.

The listed clichés are presented in an easily digestible format due to the site’s clear design.

Resources for Improved Writing

Several websites can be beneficial for refining your writing skills. A key recommendation is to steer clear of clichés and instead embrace the use of idioms.

An insightful article, stemming from an online poll regarding the most bothersome phrases, is archived on the BBC website. It’s worth reviewing, and we invite you to share which expressions you find particularly grating.