filler word
Verbal empty calories
A filler word is a sound or word inserted into speech that adds no meaning but fills pauses while the speaker thinks: um, uh, like, you know, basically.
Linguists call these discourse markers or hesitation phenomena.
Though often criticized in formal speaking, filler words are natural in spontaneous conversation and can signal the speaker isn't finished talking.
- umSpoken hesitation marker
- uhVocalized hesitation marker
- likeComparable to, or enjoy
- dead airUnintended broadcast quiet
- actuallyIn truth, not supposedly
basically · literally · per se · as it were · if you will · honestly · to be honest · anyway · so · well · you know · you know what I mean · I mean · kind of · sort of · right · okay · just
- disfluencystutter, stammer, stammering, stuttering, disfluency
- communicationtelephone, conversation, inform, hand signal, messages
- languagelanguage, grammar, spelling, alphabet, letter
- slangslang, jargon, lingo, argot, cant
- function wordsa, an, the, and, or
- speech errorsslip of the tongue, mispronunciation, malapropism, malapropisms, spoonerism
filler wordkeyword
Indexed lookup term
precise language · exact wording · operative word · technical term · loaded word
filler wordpower word
Term with commanding impact
key point · action word · thesis statement · persuasive language · main idea
filler, fill, filled, filling, fills, refill, refillable, overfill, landfill