The Filler Words and Hedges to Avoid, and What to Say Instead
Fillers (um, uh, like, you know, basically, actually, literally, sort of, kind of) and hedges (I think maybe, just wanted to, sorry to bother, hopefully) quietly drain authority. Here's the list UmmLike listens for, with stronger swaps.
Why List of Filler Words to Avoid Is So Hard Under Live Call Pressure
- Fillers. Um, uh, like, you know, basically, actually, literally, sort of, kind of.
- Hedges. 'I think maybe', 'just wanted to', 'does that make sense', 'sorry to bother', 'hopefully we can'.
- Each one is small, but together they change how you're heard.
Practical Frameworks & Live Nudges: List of Filler Words to Avoid
- Swap 'I think maybe we should' for 'I recommend we' so your proposal sounds like a clear decision rather than a guess.
- Replace 'I just wanted to check in' with 'I'm calling to align on Friday's launch' so you state your purpose in sentence one.
- Trade 'Hopefully we can finish QA by Thursday' for 'Our next step is finishing QA by Thursday at 3 PM' to project ownership.
What to Say Instead on a Live Call: List of Filler Words to Avoid
| Common Habit on a Call | Clearer Rewrite | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| "Hopefully we can, like, sort of finalize this, I think maybe next week?" | Try: 'Our next step is to finalize this next week.' | Cuts the filler wind-up and leads directly with the point. |
| "Um, I just wanted to quickly check if maybe we should push the launch, does that make sense?" | "I recommend moving the launch to Tuesday so QA can finish. What risks do you see?" | Replaces three weak qualifiers ('just wanted to', 'maybe', 'does that make sense?') with a clear recommendation and open question. |
| "Yeah, so basically there are like four different things we looked at this week and..." (75s monologue at 188 WPM) | "Here is the headline: checkout latency dropped 28% this week. Let me pause there for questions." (145 WPM) | Drops speaking speed into the 130 to 160 WPM range and stops before the 60-second attention cliff. |
Interactive Call Example: List of Filler Words to Avoid in Real Time
Step through a sample call habit right here, or open the Live Voice Coaching Studio to test with your own microphone.
Fillers Caught
4
Hedging Phrases
2
Speaking Pace
182 WPM
"Hopefully we can, like, sort of finalize this, I think maybe next week?"
Coaching nudge: Try: 'Our next step is to finalize this next week.'
How UmmLike Compares to Other Speech Coaching Tools (2026)
| Platform | Status (Oct 2026) | Live In-Call Speech Coaching | Meeting Bot Required? | Core Focus & Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UmmLike (ummlike.app) | Active (macOS, Windows + Web Studio) | Yes: Sub-second native notifications + 440px Compact HUD | No (100% Bot-Free, Local Mic) | Live filler, hedging rewrites, WPM (130 to 160 target), & 60s monologue alerts (Free download) |
| Poised (poised.com) | Shut Down (Oct 8 to 9, 2026) | Discontinued (users redirected to Deepgram Saga dictation) | Was Bot-Free Desktop App | Was $19/mo ($13/mo annual); historical call data deleted Oct 2026 |
| Yoodli (yoodli.ai) | Active ($300M+ Enterprise L&D) | Pre-call AI Roleplays; post-call report for meetings | Yes (for real call recording) | Starter Free (5 lifetime roleplays), Pro $8/mo, Advanced $20/mo annual |
| Cluely (cluely.com) | Active (Pivoted Nov 2025) | AI Meeting Notes & Answer Prompts (not vocal coaching) | No (Desktop Overlay) | Starter Free, Pro $19.99/mo, Undetectability $149.99/mo ($44.99/mo annual) |
Frequently Asked Questions: List of Filler Words to Avoid
What is the most common filler word?
'Um' and 'uh' are the most common, with 'like' close behind.
Are all fillers bad?
An occasional one is fine. Frequent bursts are what hurt clarity.
Does UmmLike join my Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams call as a visible bot?
No. UmmLike runs locally on your Mac or Windows computer and listens only to your own microphone. No bot ever joins your meeting participant list, and nobody else on the call is recorded.
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