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If you can’t stop saying the word “like,” you’re not alone. Unfortunately, overusing that word can cause your friends and coworkers to make unfair assumptions about your education or intelligence levels. Thankfully, there are some solid ways you can stop saying the word “like” to sound smarter and keep your audience engaged for longer. Read through these tricks to change the way you speak for the better.
Steps
Community Q&A
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QuestionWhat other words can I use for like? I have to many "likes" in my paragraph.Community AnswerYou can use "similar to" in the sense of "The noodles were like rubber." When using the word "like" to express approval, as in "I like pie," you can say "I enjoy pie" or "I love pie" or "Pie is awesome." If you're using the word "like" as a filler word, the way this article is talking about, just remove it entirely.
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QuestionWhat form of speech is "like" considered?Community AnswerAs a term of enjoyment, like is used as a verb, or an action word. When saying it as a term of similarity of comparison, it is a preposition.
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QuestionWhy do people overuse the word "like"?Community AnswerSome people have trouble thinking of the words they want to use, so they'll use "like" as a placeholder. Other people might not have a very large vocabulary, so "like" is a fallback word that they use often.
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Tips
- Try talking in front of a friend or family member and asking them to interrupt you every time you say "like" to help you catch and correct yourself.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- It's common to use fillers more in phone conversations than face to face, so try to plan what you will say if you're making a phone call.
- Really try to talk a bit slower when trying to stop saying "like" so you can realize when you say "like."
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References
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2018/08/how-to-stop-saying-um-ah-and-you-know
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2018/08/how-to-stop-saying-um-ah-and-you-know
- ↑ https://www.cnn.com/2016/08/16/health/parent-acts-saying-like-verbal-bad-habits
- ↑ Patrick Muñoz. Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.
- ↑ https://www.onlinecollege.org/how-to-stop-saying-like-and-sound-smarter/
- ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/robasghar/2013/09/05/how-i-like-conquered-saying-like/?sh=1caa65124281
- ↑ https://www.onlinecollege.org/how-to-stop-saying-like-and-sound-smarter/
- ↑ https://www.fluxmagazine.com/ways-to-expand-your-vocabulary/
- ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/robasghar/2013/09/05/how-i-like-conquered-saying-like/?sh=1caa65124281
About This Article
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 608,682 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "Being in a Western country, I was exposed to overuse of the word "like" through people around me. Being a teenager also heightened this overuse. I wanted to sound less like a teenager and more of a more mature person. This article helped me nurture this! I am now using words most people my age either wouldn't have heard before or would never use in ordinary conversations. Thanks! " ..." more
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