'Wait, what?' tops 2022 Banished Words List

Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The phrases "Wait? What" and "no worries" are now on a list of "banished" words for 2022 published by a Michigan university on Friday.

Following tradition, Lake Superior State University has listed ten words phrases it deemed misused, overused and useless for 2022.

"Wait, what?" topped that list, a decision that officials defended by stating that the two four-letter words should "not go together under any circumstances."

Other phrases included "new normal," "you're on mute," "asking for a friend," "supply chain," "at the end of the day," "that being said," "circle back," and "deep dive."

"Avoid error in and exploitation of everyday language," the university wrote. "In short, do the opposite of what the public and the media did this year."

Last year, seven of the ten phrases chosen reflected real-world concerns over COVID-19, whereas this year, three out of ten phrases were COVID-19 related. The majority were conversational-based.

The university has published the list since 1976, citing the need to "uphold, protect and support excellence in language."

LSSU vets thousands of submissions and has published over 1,000 entries, including one submitted by late comedian George Carlin in 1994.

The university announced an opening for submissions for 2023 starting Friday.