In a humorous nod to the ever-evolving nature of language, an annual Michigan college survey has highlighted some of the most overused and misused words and phrases. According to the latest findings, expressions like “6-7” are deemed “cooked” and should come to a halt as we enter the new year.

This survey, conducted by Lake Superior State University, marks the 50th edition of its “Banished Words List,” released every year since its inception in 1976. Originally conceived as a New Year’s Eve party idea, the list playfully critiques the “Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness.”

The university received around 1,400 submissions from all corners of the United States and from international contributors in countries such as Uzbekistan, Brazil, and Japan. This global participation underscores the widespread nature of the language trends being scrutinized.

Among the top 10 words targeted for banishment are “demure,” “incentivize,” “perfect,” “gift/gifted,” “my bad,” and “reach out.” Notably, “my bad” and “reach out” are repeat offenders, having appeared on the list back in 1998 and 1994, respectively.

David Travis, president of Lake Superior State University, remarked, “The list captures the vernacular trends popular among the younger generation.” He pointed out the role of social media in fostering opportunities for misunderstanding or misusing terms. “We often share these expressions through texting or posting, without the benefit of body language or vocal tone, making it easy for meanings to be misconstrued,” he explained.

Few phrases in 2025 befuddled parents, teachers and others over the age of, say 40, more than “6-7.” Dictionary.com even picked it as their 2025 word of the year, while other dictionaries chose words like “slop” and “ rage bait.”

But what does “6-7” actually mean? It exploded over the summer, especially among Gen Z, and is considered by many to be nonsensical in meaning — an inside joke driven by social media.

“Don’t worry, because we’re all still trying to figure out exactly what it means,” the dictionary’s editors wrote.

Each number can be spoken aloud as “six, seven.” They even can be combined as the number 67; at college basketball games, some fans explode when a team reaches that point total.

The placement of “6-7” at the top of the banished list puts it in good company. In 2019, the centuries-old Latin phrase “quid pro quo” was the top requested phrase to ban from popular use. In 2017, ” fake news ” got the most votes.

Alana Bobbitt, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, is unapologetic about using “6-7.”

“I find joy in it,” Bobbitt said. “It’s a little bit silly, and even though I don’t understand what it means, it’s fun to use.”

Jalen Brezzell says a small group of his friends use “6-7” and that it comes up a couple of times each week. But he won’t utter it.

“Never. I don’t really get the joke,” said Brezzell, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. “I don’t see what’s funny about it.”

But banning it, even in jest, might be a bit of a stretch, he said, adding that he does use other words and phrases on the list.

“I’ve always used the word ‘cooked,’” Brezzell said. “I just think it got popular on the internet over this past year. It’s saying, like, ‘give it up, it’s over.’”

Some of the phrases do have longevity, Travis said.

“I don’t think they’ll ever go away, like ‘at the end of the day,’” he said. “I used ‘my bad’ today. I feel comfortable using it. I started using it when I was young. A lot of us older people are still using it.”

Travis said that while some terms on the list “will stick around in perpetuity,” others will be fleeting.

“I think ‘6-7,’ next year, will be gone,” he said.