I know it’s obnoxious to whine about grammar and style, but I also care a lot about clarity and voice in my own writing. So I’ve been keeping a running note to myself of phrases that bug me personally, as a reminder to find better ways to say these things.

• Somewhat of a — You either mean “something of a” or “somewhat.”
• Utilize — Just say “use.”
• Take into consideration — Just say “consider.”
• Use case — Just say “use.”
• Of late — Just say “lately.”
• Price point — In the words of Casey Newton, “we already have a term for price points. It’s called prices.”
• A tad bit — “A tad” or “a bit” works better.
• More so — You probably mean “more.” The “so” in “more so” is for referencing a comparison. (“Lions are loud, more so than mice.”)
• The ___ of it all — I’ve been seeing an uptick of this one in 2025. It’s just a cliché.