The word wall: 42 strikes across 6 failure types
38 words went on the ban sheet on 2026-06-01 after a two-editor audit and a full CMS sweep. Four more verb-promise patterns joined on 2026-06-08 in prompt v1.1. Struck word on top; the replacement our editors reach for sits below it in green.
posts/2026-06-01-forbidden-38-words-comment-reply.md
posts/2026-06-08-content-writing-prompt-dcrayons-style-v1.1.md
Delexical metaphor verbs
Tired metaphors that paint no mental picture. Each one has a one-word swap.
- transform
rebuild
- unlock
find
- leverage
use
- boost
lift
- fuel
power
- 10x
a specific defendable number
- ninja
expert
- rockstar
senior
Performative claim verbs
Verbs that promise an outcome without naming the mechanism. No one-word swap exists; rewrite the sentence around a number.
- synergise / synergize
name the actual action
- accelerate
name the time saved with a number
- drive (verb)
earn / generate, or the revenue number
- empower
give / let / show
- revolutionise / revolutionize
name what changed and by how much
- disrupt
name the prior method and the percent improvement
- supercharge
name the new speed in numbers
- turbocharge
name the new throughput in numbers
- hypergrowth
name the actual percent and timeframe
- winv1.1
name the specific win
- beatv1.1
name the competitor and the metric beaten
- dominatev1.1
name the position and the market-share number
- lead the marketv1.1
name the rank and the source that says so
Unbounded superlatives
Adjectives with no upper bound and no comparison set. Replace each with the thing it was hiding.
- next-gen
name the version or the year
- cutting-edge
delete, or name the tech stack
- state-of-the-art
name the benchmark and the result
- world-class
name the ranking or the award
- best-in-class
name the comparison set
- holistic
name the components
- end-to-end
name the start and the end stages
- 360-degree
name the four sides
- seamless
name the integration steps
- robust
name the SLA or the uptime number
Conditional bans
Banned when used alone. Allowed only with the specifics attached.
- scalableconditional
Allowed only when followed by a specific number: "scalable to 50,000 concurrent users".
- ecosystemconditional
Allowed only when naming a real one: "Meta ecosystem", "Shopify ecosystem".
Subjective trait adjectives
Claims about internal feelings. Swap each for an observable behaviour.
- passionate
88-person team, 10 years operating
- dedicated
weekly written report under 800 words, every Monday
- results-driven
name a result with a number
- data-driven
name the tool and the dashboard URL
- customer-centric
name the support SLA and the NPS
- value-add
name the deliverable and the price
- passionate close-knit team (phrase)
team size + headquarters + years
Role inflation
Job-title hype. State the role, the years and the accounts the person runs.
- guru
Senior [role], [years] experience
- wizard
same pattern as guru
The 5-question filter
The wall covers 42 words. The filter covers every word that is not on it yet. If a word feels wrong, run it through these five questions.
- 1Does it promise a result without naming the mechanism?
- 2Could every competitor agency use it about themselves?
- 3Is it about an internal feeling rather than an observable action?
- 4Did the phrase peak in popularity before 2018?
- 5Is there a 1-syllable Anglo-Saxon verb that says the same thing?
Fail 1 of 5 -- ban the word. Fail 2 of 5 -- ban it twice.
Read three sentences aloud. If two could appear on a competitor's page without changing a noun, rewrite.
This one test works even if you forget the list. It catches more drift than every grep combined.
Where to go next
Get the prompt
The full v1.1 system prompt for Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini. It applies all 42 bans, the sentence-length caps and the number-source tags in one pass.
Read the promptFree 1-page audit
A senior Dcrayons editor plus the v1.1 prompt review one page from your site and reply within 48 hours. The FAQ covers scope, format and turnaround.
Read the audit FAQEvery number, sourced
The four claims Dcrayons prints in public, each linked to the query behind it: 84 percent repeat revenue, 10 years operating, 88 people, 523 client records.
See the numbersGet one of your pages audited free
Comment AUDIT on the Dcrayons LinkedIn post, or start with the FAQ below. A senior editor plus the v1.1 prompt review one page from your site and reply within 48 hours.