From 'hubby' to 'supposably,' people are sharing the words that make them physically cringe

Some words are just inexplicably wrong. They’re not offensive or profane, but the moment you hear them, your skin crawls. It’s a strange, universal phenomenon known as word aversion. Curious about which words trigger this visceral cringe the most, sour sister site Upworthy posed a question to their Facebook community: What’s a word that makes your skin crawl for no logical reason?

More than 8,500 passionate and hilarious responses poured in. Here are some of the most-hated words in the English language, according to our readers.

The Undisputed Champion: "Panties"

A woman blocks the camera shotCanva

No other word came close to the level of sheer disgust this one inspired.

• “Panties. Let’s just call it underwear.” — Annie C.
• “Panties. I absolutely hate that word. I physically cringe every time I hear it.” — Anna B. Other commonly despised words in this category included titties, lover, and mommy pooch.

The Cutesy Backlash

A woman rolls her eyesCanva

A surprising number of people have had enough of overly sweet terms for family and pets. Words like hubby, wifey, and kiddos were frequently mentioned.

• “I cannot abide people referring to their pets as ‘fur babies.’ It sounds absolutely pathetic.” — Joy S.
• “‘Littles’ to describe children. It drives me crazy!” — Marcia H.

Grammar and Pronunciation Rage

For many, the biggest cringe comes from hearing the English language get butchered.

• “When people say ‘I seen it’—you mean, you saw it?” — Mendy B.
• “Supposably. For so many reasons.” — Patty G.
• “Irregardless. I was told there is no such word. It is regardless.” — Bernice C.
• The mispronunciation of mischievous as "mis-CHEEV-ee-us" also drove many people, like Joyce G. H., up the wall.

Words That Just Feel Gross

An angry woman looks off-cameraCanva

Some words don't need a logical reason to be hated. They just sound wrong, hitting the ear with a visceral ick-factor.

• “Phlegm 🤢” — Sally N.
• “Ointment, oily…” — Julie G. C.
• And, of course, the word that appeared in hundreds of comments: “Moist.” — Bev H.

Everyday Annoyances

Finally, there were the common phrases and habits that have simply worn out their welcome.

• “‘AnywayS.’ It has become so commonplace, and I cringe each time I hear it.” — Carolyn T.
• “‘We are pregnant.’ We may be having a baby, but we both aren’t pregnant.” — Sherry B. G.

Our relationship with language is deeply personal, and as this list proves, sometimes a word just feels wrong. It's a hilarious reminder that we all have our own weird, unexplainable pet peeves. Just, whatever you do, don't say panties.

This article originally appeared earlier this year.