Spot the clichés
your readers skim past
Phrases like "at the end of the day" are easy to write and forgettable to read. Gorby underlines every cliché in your draft so you can say it in your own words.
Included in every paid plan · Web and Windows app · Nearly 2,000 clichés
Quarterly update - GorbySupport team: Q1 in review
At the end of the day, this quarter was a game changer for the support team. The three new hires hit the ground running, and response times dropped by a third. We still have gaps in weekend coverage, so we need to think outside the box. Last but not least, a big thank you to everyone who stayed late during the March outage. Next quarter, we will focus on weekend coverage and a new help center. Sam will share the plan by Friday.
Clichés
Identifies overused phrases and expressions
"At the end of the day"
Cliché detected
Consider replacing "At the end of the day" with a more original expression.
In Gorby, Select highlights the phrase so you can type over it
Try it: click an underlined phrase or press Select, then type your own wording. Leave it empty to use our example.
Why it matters
If readers can finish your sentence, they skip it
Every cliché was fresh once. After a thousand uses, readers see the first few words and fill in the rest without reading. The phrase takes up space but leaves no impression.
Try the quick test and see how many endings you know before you even look at the options.
Finish the phrase. Don't think, just pick.
Think outside the ____ box
Instead: try an idea nobody has tested
At the end of the ____ day
Instead: cut it, the sentence still works
Easier said than ____ done
Instead: it takes real work
Every cloud has a silver ____ lining
Instead: the delay gave us time to test
Low-hanging ____ fruit
Instead: the easiest fixes
Avoid it like the ____ plague
Instead: stay well away from it
Why clichés slip into good writing
- Writing fast Under a deadline, the first phrase that comes to mind is the one you have heard most.
- Filling a gap You know what you mean but not how to say it, so a stock phrase plugs the hole.
- Playing it safe A familiar saying feels like it has already been approved, so it seems like a safe choice.
- Office habits Phrases like "game changer" spread from meeting to meeting until they end up in your writing.
How it works
Three steps to fresher phrasing
- 1
Run the check
Open the Advanced Analysis tab in the Highlight & Check Controls panel and press play next to Clichés.
- 2
Spot the clichés
Every cliché is underlined in your text, and the panel shows how many instances it found.
- 3
Select and rewrite
Click Show Results to see each cliché. Press Select to highlight it in your text, then type your own wording over it.
What you get
Find the stock phrases, keep your voice
You stop hearing clichés in your own draft. Your readers hear them right away.
Nearly 2,000 clichés
Gorby checks your text against a list of nearly 2,000 well-worn phrases, from "every cloud has a silver lining" to "beat around the bush".
Marks the whole phrase
The full expression is underlined, not just one word, so you see exactly what to rework.
Underlined in your text
Clichés are underlined where they appear, so you can spot them while you read your draft.
Every cliché listed
Show Results lists each cliché with a short note, so you can work through them one by one.
Select to jump there
Select highlights the phrase in your text, ready for you to type something fresher over it.
You make the call
A cliché in dialogue or a deliberate wink can stay. Gorby points them out and leaves the decision to you.
Make it yours
Make clichés easy to spot
A cliché can run five or six words, so its underline should be easy to follow. Pick a color that stands out next to your other highlights.
- Underline color for clichés
- Underline thickness, shared by all text checks
Settings
Changes are saved automatically.
Clichés
Identifies overused phrases and expressions
Highlight Color
At the end of the day, the launch went better than we planned.
Click the color to see how a different underline looks.
Three ways to rewrite a cliché
Gorby finds them. These help you replace them.
- Say what you mean
- Ask what the cliché is standing in for, and write that.
We need to think outside the box.
We need a new way to price the starter plan.
- Get specific
- Swap the stock image for a detail only you could write.
The new hire hit the ground running.
The new hire shipped her first feature on day three.
- Cut it
- Many clichés are filler. Delete them and read the sentence again.
At the end of the day, the data decides.
The data decides.
Keep polishing
Pairs well with
Overused Words Analysis
Finds the words you lean on too often, measured by how much of your text they take up.
Learn moreRedundant Words Detection
Spots phrases like "end result" that say the same thing twice.
Learn moreRepeated Words Detection
Catches the same word typed twice in a row, like "the the", before a reader does.
Learn moreParagraph Readability
Scores each paragraph so you can see exactly which ones are hard to read.
Learn moreFAQ
Common questions
Want a quick check without opening the editor? Try our free cliché finder. Still have a question? Email us at contact@gorby.app.
- What counts as a cliché in Gorby?
- A phrase that has been used so often it has lost its punch, like "at the end of the day", "think outside the box", or "every cloud has a silver lining". Gorby checks your text against a list of nearly 2,000 clichés and underlines every match.
- Why should I avoid clichés?
- Readers have seen them so many times that they skim right past them. A cliché takes up space without leaving an impression, and too many of them make your writing sound generic, as if you reached for the first phrase that came to mind.
- Are clichés always bad?
- No. A cliché can work in dialogue, in a deliberate play on words, or when it really is the clearest way to say something. Gorby points them out so you can decide. Keep the ones that earn their place.
- How do I replace a cliché?
- Ask what the phrase actually means and say that, swap it for a specific detail, or cut it if the sentence works without it. In Gorby, press Select in the results to highlight the phrase, then type your new wording over it.
- Does Gorby suggest replacements for clichés?
- No. Gorby finds the clichés and leaves the rewrite to you, because the best replacement depends on what you are trying to say. The tips on this page are a good place to start.
- How is this different from Overused Words Analysis?
- Overused Words looks at single words you repeat too often in one text. Cliché Detection looks for stock phrases that are overused everywhere, so it flags them even if you only used them once.
- Is Cliché Detection included in the free plan?
- Cliché Detection is one of the Advanced Analysis checks, which come with every paid plan. The free plan includes real-time checks like hard-to-read sentences and passive voice.
- Does it work in the desktop app?
- Yes. Cliché Detection works the same way in the web app and the Gorby desktop app for Windows. With a plan, Pro checks stay unlocked for up to 5 days offline.
Say it in your own words
Run Cliché Detection on your next draft and trade stock phrases for ones your readers will remember.