They’re catchy, they roll off the tongue and they can be useful for descriptive purposes, but clichés don’t tell us much. They’re non-specific. They’re also unoriginal and a little cheesy.
Clichés are statements that have been used many times before, so they lose their effectiveness, weaken writing – and add unnecessary words.
Example
Needless to say, the sweet smell of success was a far cry from the battles he’d endured en route to securing the deal.
Revised: His success outweighed the battles he’d encountered in securing the deal.
Here’s how you can replace some of the most common clichés with simple words.
Replace… | With… |
At the end of the day | To conclude |
Eating establishment | Restaurant / Cafe |
Needless to say | [simply omit this cliché] |
On the same page | Understand / Same understanding |
Touch base | Make contact |
Click here to download a full version of this cheat sheet
Which clichés bug you? Let us know, below.
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