People are sharing the commonly misused phrases that really get their goat and these 23 will totally ruin your day

Hell is other people, as the saying goes, and that is especially true when they are intent on misusing phrases and won’t stop doing it, even when you helpfully correct them.

Over on Reddit, user Where_Stars_Glitter asked: ‘What’s a commonly misused phrase or term that irritates you?’ and followed it up with a couple of particular niggles…

The first is when people say “I have mental health”.

‘Yes, everyone has mental health. Just like everyone has physical health, dental health, hair health, skin health etc. It’s not an indication of what you mean to say, which is ‘mental illness/condition/disability’, it’s a descriptor of a part of humanity.

‘The second is ‘It’s a conspiracy’ when they mean ‘conspiracy theory’.

‘A conspiracy is an action secretly carried out by one or more people, often for a nefarious purpose. A conspiracy theory is when people discuss the possibility of a conspiracy. So if you’ve heard something through the grapevine, it’s a conspiracy THEORY, not a conspiracy.

‘What’s yours?

And there were plenty of folk with their own irritations to vent…

1.

‘“I could care less” just fuck off.’
–Bulky_Parsnip8

2.

‘Could of, should of, would of.’
–RobertTheSpruce

3.

”On Christmas’ really makes my teeth itch.’
–New_Pop_8911

4.

‘The misuse of ‘gaslighting’ really annoys me. People just chuck it about as if it means the same as basic lying.’
–oso-oco

5.

‘Tender hooks instead of tenter hooks’
–Boof_Diddy

6.

‘The word is ‘addictive’. If you say ‘addicting’ you are dead to me. Just stop it. It seemed to come out of nowhere a few years ago and now people are addicted to saying it.’
–Dimac99

7.

‘I work in social care and ‘I’ve got mental health’ has been shouted around me on so many occasions that I’ve started to twitch like one of Pavlov’s dogs whenever I hear that phrase.

Not a huge fan of ‘intensive purposes’ either.’
–hipposaregood

8.

‘Probably not relevant a lot of the time but on the show Big Brother people keep saying they’re ‘up for nomination’ NO! You’re all up for nomination! YOU have been NOMINATED for EVICTION! You’re up for EVICTION!’
–AmphibianNo8598

9.

‘Allowed and aloud – how people get these two wrong I don’t know, but I see it all the time.’
–Alternative-Ebb-8966

10.

‘People using ‘bias’ when they mean ‘biased’.

I’m bias but…

It’s not a special word. Noun/adjective rules apply.’
–maxthelabradore

11.

”Won’t be long. I’m on route.”
–TheFourSevens