'6-7', Demure Top Banished Words List In FL For 2026, University Says

Gen Zers and Gen Alphers in Florida may not be pleased to know the ever-popular "6-7" and "demure" phrases fill the top two spots for a list of banished words in 2026.

The list was recently released by Lake Superior State University in Michigan, which has been naming its list of banned words for the last 50 years.

"What began as a whimsical New Year’s Eve party idea in 1976, has grown into a global reflection on the words that wear out their welcome. Since former public relations director W.T. (Bill) Rabe showcased the first 'List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English because of mis-, mal-, over-use, or general uselessness,' LSSU has carried the torch," the university said in a press release.

There were more than 1,400 submissions for this year's list. Word candidates came from all 50 U.S. states, as well as Uzbekistan, Brazil, Japan, the United Kingdom and other countries.

The definition of "6-7," which has created a word craze among youths, has been overanalyzed by non-Gen Zers and Gen Alphers attempting to figure out what it actually means.

Some say the phrase came from a popular song, while others say it means "so so." When a person Googles, "What is 67," the computer screen shakes in the "so so" manner that people's hands do when they use the phrase.

Lake Superior shared what some people thought about words that should go away for good. Here are the top five:

6-7: “There are six or seven reasons why this phrase needs to be stopped,” says Paul E. from WI. The volume of submissions for this one could have taken up the whole list, at least slots 6-7. The top banishment this year, Scott T. from UT adds, “it’s time for “6-7” to be 86’ed.”

Demure: “It’s very said more than very done, and we’re all very done hearing it!” remarks Tammy S. Often used in the phrase ‘very demure, very mindful,’ Madison C. shares that the overuse “waters down the real meaning."

Cooked: “Hearing it…my brain feels ‘cooked,’” groans Zac A. from VA. Parents and guardians led the charge on this one, with some feeling this isn’t enough. James C. from WA suggests a ban of “all forms of the word cook,” hoping that hearing them will become rare.

Massive: “Way overused! (often incorrectly),” exclaim Don and Gail K. from MN. This word’s massive overuse has secured its place on this year’s list.

Incentivize: In the longstanding effort to turn nouns into verbs, this is another culprit. Two separate submissions likened hearing this word to “nails on a chalkboard.” Patricia from TX asks, “What’s wrong with motivate?”

Here's the full list of the top 10 banished words for 2026:

1. 67
2. Demure
3. Cooked
4. Massive
5. Incentivize
6. Full Stop
7. Perfect
8. Gift/Gifted (as a verb)
9. My Bad
10. Reach Out

And just in case you're wondering, Lake Superior released its list of repeat offenders, or words that refused to stay banished:

1. Absolutely (1996, 2023): A favorite nomination of WXYT listeners in 1996. That proved not to be enough. A 2023 submission called the word “The current default to express agreement.” Will it try for a hat-trick? Absolutely.
2. At the End of the Day (1999, 2022, 2024): In 1999, Mike M. said the phrase was used by “political pundits,” while Randall H. attributed it to “Hollywood types.” This phrase has the unique distinction of triple-banishment.
3. Awesome (1984, 2007): Elnora V. set the tone for the initial banishment, sharing, “I find it preposterous to believe that all these writers are observing truly awesome events on such a widespread scale.” It returned to the list in 2007, with folks from as far as Thailand calling it “overused and meaningless.”
4. Game Changer (2009, 2025): The 2009 banishment quoted Cynthia saying, “It’s game OVER for this cliché, which gets overused in the news media, political arenas and in business.” This “game over” would include another banishment in 2025, with Patrick from Washington, DC commenting, “nothing is a game changer if everything is a game changer.”
5. Hot Water Heater (1982, 2018): An anonymous listener nominated this phrase to Rob Westaby with WOWO Radio in 1982, asking, “Since when does hot water need to be heated?” Decades later, the 2018 banishment reminded folks that a “water heater” would keep them out of linguistic hot water.

Lake Superior is currently accepting nominations for its 2027 list.