Ask a writing assistant for a paragraph about almost anything and certain words show up with suspicious regularity. Readers have noticed. A few of them have become running jokes; "delve" may never fully recover its reputation.
These words are not wrong, and humans use them too. They stand out because they appear far more often in generated text than in everyday writing, and because they tend to arrive together. One "leverage" in a document is a word. "Leverage", "seamless", "robust" and "foster" in the same paragraph is a fingerprint.
Here are the usual suspects and what to write instead.
Verbs
| Word | Why it stands out | Plain alternative |
|---|---|---|
| delve | Rare in everyday writing, common in generated text | look at, dig into, explore |
| leverage | Business jargon where "use" works | use |
| foster | Vague; hides what actually happens | build, encourage, grow |
| underscore | Formal stand-in for a simple verb | show, highlight |
| streamline | Often used without saying what got simpler | simplify, or describe the change |
| empower | Promises a lot, says little | let, help, give |
| elevate | Same | improve, raise |
| navigate | Used for anything difficult | handle, deal with, get through |
| embark | Turns starting into a voyage | start, begin |
| enhance | Generic improvement | improve, or say how |
Nouns
| Word | Why it stands out | Plain alternative |
|---|---|---|
| landscape | Used for any field or market | market, field, industry, or name it |
| realm | Same, with added fantasy | area, field |
| tapestry | Almost never used by people outside textiles | mix, range |
| journey | Applied to any process | process, path, or describe it |
| testament | "A testament to" as automatic praise | shows, proves |
| synergy | The original corporate filler | cooperation, or the actual benefit |
| insights | Often means "information" | findings, data, lessons |
| paradigm | Rarely needed | model, approach |
Adjectives
| Word | Why it stands out | Plain alternative |
|---|---|---|
| seamless | Claims ease without evidence | smooth, or say what got easier |
| robust | Generic strength | strong, reliable, or the spec |
| pivotal, crucial, vital | Inflated importance | key, important, or show why |
| comprehensive | Rarely true | full, complete, or list what's covered |
| dynamic | Means little on its own | changing, active, or be specific |
| innovative, cutting-edge | Self-awarded | say what is new |
| meticulous | Self-praise | careful, or show the care |
| holistic | Vague scope | say what is included |
Connectors and filler
| Word | Plain alternative |
|---|---|
| moreover, furthermore | also, or nothing |
| additionally | also, or nothing |
| notably | often deletable |
| ultimately, overall | usually deletable |
| arguably | commit, or explain the doubt |
Why replacing words isn't enough
Swap every word on this page and a text can still sound generated. The deeper giveaways are structural: sentences of identical length, the habit of listing three things, opening with scene-setting and closing with a summary. A single "delve" won't give you away. A flat, predictable shape will.
For the structural side, see does this sound like AI? and the step-by-step editing guide. For multi-word expressions ("it is important to note that…"), see common AI phrases to avoid.
A simple rule
When you meet one of these words in your draft, ask: what does it actually mean here? If you can say it in a plainer word, use the plainer word. If you can't say what it means, the sentence needs rewriting, not a synonym.
Check a draft in seconds
The free Sounday style check highlights these words and phrases in your text, suggests replacements and looks at sentence rhythm. It runs entirely in your browser, so your text never leaves your device.