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"Iconic" is the most overused and misused word in the English language

"Iconic" has been overused to the point where it doesn't have any particular meaning remaining. Recently on DL there have been posts referencing "iconic statistics" and "iconic years". Not a single article about the Notre Dame fire was able to avoid the i-word. Do writers think it makes them sound clever or profound? To me it signals the opposite. It is a surefire indicator of at best sloppy thinking and writing, and at worst simple ignorance.

by Anonymousreply 80November 11, 2019 9:27 PM

Literally.

by Anonymousreply 1April 23, 2019 11:01 PM

I think (hope) it’s uswd here ironically, but yeah, in general parlance it’s bad. Every social ledia skank is a “fashion icon.”

by Anonymousreply 2April 23, 2019 11:13 PM

I have this recurring fantasy about sucker-punching everyone who uses "iconic" or "veggie".

by Anonymousreply 3April 23, 2019 11:20 PM

Welcome to our club!

by Anonymousreply 4April 23, 2019 11:30 PM

Isn’t it iconic?

by Anonymousreply 5April 24, 2019 1:34 AM

Surreal is a word that came out of nowhere to become omnipresent..

by Anonymousreply 6April 24, 2019 1:41 AM

Oh, you

by Anonymousreply 7April 24, 2019 1:56 AM

Literally iconic

by Anonymousreply 8April 24, 2019 2:03 AM

This is quickly becoming an iconic thread.

by Anonymousreply 9April 24, 2019 2:08 AM

Hate it sooo much! Thank you op.

by Anonymousreply 10April 24, 2019 2:17 AM

The complaint about the use and overuse of the word "iconic" is an iconic DL thread topic.

by Anonymousreply 11April 24, 2019 2:27 AM

Finally, somebody else who sees it! I noticed this back in 2012, and would ask friends if they thought the word was being overused. Most said No, to my silent grumbles.

by Anonymousreply 12April 24, 2019 2:29 AM

So meta

by Anonymousreply 13April 24, 2019 2:29 AM

Iconic is a perfectly cromulent word.

It can be used to embiggen your vocabulary.

by Anonymousreply 14April 24, 2019 2:35 AM

It's a very artisanal word.

by Anonymousreply 15April 24, 2019 2:36 AM

Awesome!

by Anonymousreply 16April 24, 2019 2:50 AM

Iconic, literally!

by Anonymousreply 17April 24, 2019 2:55 AM

Ironic is misused a lot too. It doesn't mean coincidental.

by Anonymousreply 18April 24, 2019 6:14 AM

As overused as "iconic" is now, it is strange to realize that its use was practically non-existent before the turn of the century. In 20 years it has overtaken writing, likely as so much writing has migrated to the internet and editors with good taste have less of a role than they once did.

by Anonymousreply 19April 24, 2019 10:18 AM

Personally, I hear the word disruptive far too often.

by Anonymousreply 20April 24, 2019 10:42 AM

Is Notre Dame not an icon of Paris?

by Anonymousreply 21April 24, 2019 10:58 AM

This thread is epic!

by Anonymousreply 22April 24, 2019 11:11 AM

Agreed completely. For awhile there, "impact" was the word of the moment, then the horrible "impactful" got trotted out. Does nobody know how to use a thesaurus now?

by Anonymousreply 23April 24, 2019 11:14 AM

"Invite" as a noun.

"Notate" instead of just note.

We could turn this into a "vocabulary for idiots" thread.

Most corporate speak.

by Anonymousreply 24April 24, 2019 11:19 AM

[quote]"impact" was the word of the moment

A moment in 1975. Unfortunately, the moment never went away.

by Anonymousreply 25April 24, 2019 11:33 AM

This thread resonates with me.

by Anonymousreply 26April 24, 2019 2:14 PM

I find the use of tragedy (when sad would usually do) much more irritating

by Anonymousreply 27April 24, 2019 2:26 PM

Honestly, it's amazing that nobody has suggested either honestly or amazing are the most overused or misused words in the English language.

by Anonymousreply 28November 9, 2019 1:32 AM

How about “hero” used when “victim” is more appropriate?

by Anonymousreply 29November 9, 2019 1:47 AM

OP is an iconoclast.

by Anonymousreply 30November 9, 2019 1:48 AM

"What about ME?"

by Anonymousreply 31November 9, 2019 1:49 AM

You ain't kiddin', cuntbag OP. Watch any local news report and every thing in the fucking shit town is "iconic". So fucking retarded.

by Anonymousreply 32November 9, 2019 1:51 AM

This thread is so incredible!

by Anonymousreply 33November 9, 2019 1:55 AM

I mean, like, this thread is amazing.

by Anonymousreply 34November 9, 2019 1:57 AM

Ignorant people who the word 'iconic' to describe ephemeral fashions are fools.

Ignorant people describing something as 'more iconic' are doubly foolish.

by Anonymousreply 35November 9, 2019 2:04 AM

Being iconic

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by Anonymousreply 36November 9, 2019 2:05 AM

Ah, yes, the most unique thread in a great while.

/s

by Anonymousreply 37November 9, 2019 2:07 AM

Hey, OP. Here's a phrase to make your head explode:

Iconic diva.

by Anonymousreply 38November 9, 2019 2:16 AM

Honestly, I read this thread yesterday and didn't think "Iconic" was overused, until I saw commercials and trailers at a movie theater tonight. The word "Iconic" was used four times during the trailers and real estate commercials. AMAZING was used twice. One of the real estate commercials, said the property for sale had an iconic roof.

by Anonymousreply 39November 10, 2019 4:38 AM

The younger generation mindlessly talk gibberish!

by Anonymousreply 40November 10, 2019 4:40 AM

Has anyone ever watched a Jeffrey Star video. Not that you'd want to, but everything is 'iconic'. The stupid cunt has no idea what the word means.

by Anonymousreply 41November 10, 2019 5:13 AM

OP has bespoken.

by Anonymousreply 42November 10, 2019 5:37 AM

This thread is so fetch.

by Anonymousreply 43November 10, 2019 5:44 AM

The word awesome has been curated robustly.

by Anonymousreply 44November 10, 2019 8:18 AM

I enjoyed reading about DL's patron saint of cuntiness, Lauren Bacall, who chewed out a reporter during a press junket once after he referred to Bacall's co-star, Nicole Kidman, as an icon. Bacall replied bluntly, "She's not an icon. She's too young to be one."

by Anonymousreply 45November 10, 2019 8:25 AM

Only those with the life-experience and the wisdom of the ages can confer an icon status.

It is NOT a plaything for millennials!

by Anonymousreply 46November 10, 2019 8:33 AM

Somewhere, there is a perfect clap-back to this going viral!

by Anonymousreply 47November 10, 2019 8:47 AM

Awesome is used a hundredfold over the next competitor. And said with such an incredibly flat delivery.

Awesome used to mean winning the lottery or landing the job of a lifetime. Now it’s been stomped down to “it’s absolutely awesome that they got my order right”!!!

by Anonymousreply 48November 10, 2019 9:17 AM

[quote]"Iconic" is the most overused and misused word in the English language

Don't I know it

by Anonymousreply 49November 10, 2019 9:29 AM

How about icaneic

by Anonymousreply 50November 10, 2019 10:04 AM

Can we join, R4?

by Anonymousreply 51November 10, 2019 10:22 AM

And this thread is about 8 years too late. It’s a millennial thing. They like the sound of it but don’t know that it means. One of them actually described a chair to me as “iconic”.

by Anonymousreply 52November 10, 2019 10:43 AM

That’s incredible. REALLY. JUST. INCREDIBLE.

by Anonymousreply 53November 10, 2019 10:46 AM

OP is on fleek!

by Anonymousreply 54November 10, 2019 12:25 PM

I know what 'icon' means. Clearly the media and Kidman do not!

by Anonymousreply 55November 10, 2019 12:51 PM

Language evolves and changes whether you like it or not.

by Anonymousreply 56November 10, 2019 12:57 PM

The words ICONIC and CURATE/CURATED make me want to end my life.

And "Social media"..

by Anonymousreply 57November 10, 2019 1:03 PM

So cliche OP Consider the optics.

by Anonymousreply 58November 10, 2019 1:07 PM

Another thread by an anal retentive old fart. OP types depressing and exhausting. Have people ever told you, OP, why they don't want to be around you? This is it.

by Anonymousreply 59November 10, 2019 1:12 PM

Everyone using 'super' as an adjective/adverb is driving me super crazy.

by Anonymousreply 60November 10, 2019 1:12 PM

Oh dear no one got it r 58 I despair

by Anonymousreply 61November 10, 2019 9:02 PM

^Bed rest, arent you on your period?

by Anonymousreply 62November 10, 2019 9:29 PM

aren’t

by Anonymousreply 63November 10, 2019 9:31 PM

People have long used the word "iconic" to describe trivial things, like the Adidas 'Superstar' shoe, the UPS truck, and the Hermès Birkin Bag. This use predates the Internet and all the lazy freelance online journalists who like to throw the term around.

The 1915 Coca-Cola contour bottle is trivial as well but can at least rightfully be considered an "iconic" design. So can the Swiss Army Knife.

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by Anonymousreply 64November 10, 2019 9:35 PM

People have long used the word "iconic" to describe trivial things, like the Adidas 'Superstar' shoe, the UPS truck, and the Hermès Birkin Bag. This use predates the Internet and all the lazy freelance online journalists who like to throw the term around.

The 1915 Coca-Cola contour bottle is trivial as well but can at least rightfully be considered an "iconic" design. So can the Swiss Army Knife.

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by Anonymousreply 65November 10, 2019 9:36 PM

*Sorry that posted twice

by Anonymousreply 66November 10, 2019 9:39 PM

^ Foolish man! And describing frivolous trivialities as 'iconic" is especially foolish.

by Anonymousreply 67November 10, 2019 10:04 PM

Just pointing out that the casual use of this word, like the concept of "basic" on the other thread, is nothing new.

by Anonymousreply 68November 10, 2019 10:22 PM

Whatevs

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by Anonymousreply 69November 10, 2019 10:25 PM

OP is gaslighting us.

by Anonymousreply 70November 10, 2019 11:41 PM

No, R64, people have not long used iconic in this sense. This is something that definitely started within the last dozen years.

I do not understand why you bring in the examples you do. If I use a word today to describe something a hundred years ago, that is not the same thing as it being used a hundred years ago. I can describe King Henry VIII as Tupac Shakurish, but it would be wrong to say that people in the 1500s used the same word. I can describe Rembrandt paintings as selfies, but that does not mean people did when he painted them.

by Anonymousreply 71November 11, 2019 1:59 AM

I grew up in the 1980s , R71, and I was aware of the term being used in relation to design back then. I remember reading about "Warhol's iconic Campbell's soup can painting" certainly in the 1990s.

by Anonymousreply 72November 11, 2019 3:46 AM

Warhol treats the Campbell's soup can in an iconic manner---not the way the word is used now but in its original sense.

(Also, the article you are talking about that used that phrase ("Warhol's iconic Campbell's soup can painting" ) is from 2006, not the 90s)

by Anonymousreply 73November 11, 2019 3:52 AM

That exact phrase has been used countless times including in the pre-Internet era, R76, so Googling it and citing the first publication you come across means nothing. I grew up in the Netherlands and France in the pre-Internet age and read tons of English-language magazines in my teens and twenties, including many design and art publications.

God, this is the most boring "discussion" I've ever been part of. Time to 'unfollow' this thread and stop conversing with the pointlessly contrarian lost souls.

by Anonymousreply 74November 11, 2019 4:00 AM

I totally agree, OP.

Jesus was iconic; Elvis Presley was iconic; I dare say even Madonna in her prime was iconic.

The party you went to Saturday night was not, sadly, iconic.

Thanks for posting this.

by Anonymousreply 75November 11, 2019 4:06 AM

R78, you are missing the larger point. Iconic WOULD be used in art and design publications. You are actually supporting the viewpoint you claim to be refuting.

Iconic was not used to describe vegetables, social events, socks, and everything else it is applied to today.

by Anonymousreply 76November 11, 2019 12:14 PM

Yes, OP. This has been my pet peeve for years.

[quote] Iconic was not used to describe vegetables, social events, socks, and everything else it is applied to today.

Amen.

by Anonymousreply 77November 11, 2019 12:28 PM

There's a great Twitter thread from Margaret Sullivan (former public editor at the Times) about a particular overused word or two....that then becomes a very good discussion......

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by Anonymousreply 78November 11, 2019 12:30 PM

"Iconic" is over used, but it is hardly the current "most overused and misused word in the English language."

That word woud be "incredible." Every brain dead media celebrity modifies every fact with the word "incredible." They never have to think critically. They never have to build a vocabulary. Anything and everthing is just incredible!

Several years ago, an entry level person (not my hire!) in a PR office I was managing used the word "incredible" four times in a three paragraph letter going to a client. I saw it sitting on his desk and wrote across it, "Please see me before sending this out." Of course, the idiot boy was angry that I had written on his letter. Asshole.

by Anonymousreply 79November 11, 2019 12:47 PM

R73, Warhol knew the meaning of the word.

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by Anonymousreply 80November 11, 2019 9:27 PM
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