words

The combination of two numbers heads the list of words and phrases in Lake Superior State University’s Banned Words List for 2026.

6/7 was the overwhelming selection to the annual top ten list.

The phrase originated from a 2024 rap song and became popular on social media platforms and school playgrounds over the past year.

According to one person who nominated the phase, “6/7 should be ’86ed.”

Others make the top ten for their overuse, often incorrectly.

Cooked, used to suggest an overwhelming feeling about something, is among them.

“Hearing it…my brain feels ‘cooked,” stated one nominator.

Massive, used to describe anything and everything as being huge, and Full Stop, a phrase used to emphasize a previous thought, also find their spots.

Incentivize makes the list for turning a noun into a verb.

One nominator felt it was like hearing “nails on a chalkboard” every time they heard the word.

The word ‘perfect’ is another word that people found to be overused.

It is often said as an acknowledgement of an interaction with another.

“How do they know it’s perfect?” asks one who supports the word being discontinued.

Some of the other words on the top ten are holdovers from previous years.

The phrase ‘My Bad,’ used to accept fault for a mistake or error, reappeared after it was first nominated in 1998.

One person felt, “It does not convey much meaning in the way of an apology.”

The university says it received more than 1,400 suggestions from around the world for consideration for this year’s list.

It has been releasing its banned words list for 50 years.

Here is the complete top ten for 2026

1. 6/7
2. Demure
3. Cooked
4. Massive
5. Incentivize
6. Full stop
7. Perfect
8. Gift/gifted
9. My Bad
10. Reach Out