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No Longer Striving for Greatness

POSTED ON 
January 7, 2011
Here at the Brilliant Ink offices, we frequently go off on little rants about words. Words that are really cool. Words that are used in corporate-speak and make no sense. Words that drive us crazy because they’ve been twisted around and used in a context that’s all wrong. Words that are so overused that they’ve almost lost their significance.Today I’d like to share some thoughts on one of those overused words. Here it is: GREAT. Have a great weekend. You look great! Great idea, Billy Bob. How are you doing today? – I’m great, of course.While the dictionary definition of the word is “much higher in some quality or degree,” or “of much more than ordinary,” I’m afraid that we use the word so darn much that it has come to be exactly the opposite of it’s true meaning. Completely ordinary. Boring. Just ok.I’m really tired of great. So I’ve been making an effort to use some alternatives to this word that have a bit more flavor. Here’s a list of possibilities – I hope you’ll start using some of these, too, and together maybe we can make expressing the positive a little less mundane.splendid

wonderful

fantastic

terrific

marvelous

fabulous

sublime

magnificent

super-duper

sensational

glorious

happy

outstanding

excellent

stupendous

superb

awesome

jim-dandy

brilliant (our personal fave)What words are bugging you? Have any additions to the “great alternatives” list? We welcome and appreciate your comments!

Alison Harrison
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT

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