Filler words list: the common ones, and which to cut
20 October 2026 · 5 min read
Not every filler word is the same. Some are pure noise, and some are doing a small job in your sentence. Here is a list of the common ones and a simple way to decide which to cut.
What counts as a filler word?
There’s no official list, so this one is a practical guide. Researchers who study speech tend to split fillers into two groups. In a study of 263 recorded everyday conversations, an analysis of five filler words found two distinct groups: filled pauses (“uh” and “um”) and discourse markers (“I mean”, “you know” and “like”). The “cut or keep” verdicts below are my own judgement, not research findings.
Group 1: filled pauses (usually safe to cut)
These are sounds, not words. They carry no content, they just fill a gap while you think.
- um: a gap you expect to be a little longer. Usually cut.
- uh: a shorter gap. Usually cut.
- er / erm: the British spelling of the same thing. Usually cut.
- ah, hmm: sometimes a filler, sometimes a real reaction (“Ah, that makes sense”). Cut when it’s only filling a gap.
We explain why people say these in why we say “um”.
Group 2: discourse markers (sometimes real, so check)
These are real words that also work as fillers. That’s what makes them tricky: the same word can be filler in one sentence and meaningful in the next.
- like: filler in “it was, like, really big”, but real in “I like it” or “it looks like rain”. Cut only the filler kind.
- you know: research on this phrase suggests its basic job is to invite the listener to fill in the inference. Often filler, but sometimes a real nudge. Cut when it’s a tic.
- I mean: the same research suggests it warns the listener you’re about to adjust what you said. That can be useful, but a string of them isn’t. Think twice.
- so: filler when it opens every sentence, but real in “so that you can…” or “it was so good”. Think twice.
- well, right, okay: handy for changing the subject, but often just a way to start. Cut when it’s only a warm-up.
Group 3: softeners and padding (judgement call)
- basically, literally, actually: often add nothing. Usually cut.
- kind of, sort of, I guess, maybe: can make you sound unsure, but sometimes you really are unsure. Keep if it’s true.
- just, really, honestly: fine in small doses. Cut when they pile up.
A simple test: delete it and read it back
If you take the word out and the sentence still means exactly the same thing and still sounds right, it was a filler. If the meaning changes, or it sounds broken, keep it. “It was, like, huge” loses nothing without “like”. “It looks like rain” falls apart. This is a rule of thumb, not a scientific test, but it works well.
Who says which?
The same study found that “uh” and “um” were used at similar rates across ages and genders, while discourse markers like “like” and “you know” were more common among women, younger people and more conscientious people. It was an observational study, so it shows a pattern, not a cause. The practical point is that your habits are partly personal, so the words you most need to watch may differ from the ones in any list.
Cutting them from a video
Most of the safe-to-cut words are the sounds in group 1, and that’s where erm starts. It finds the ums, erms, uhs and long pauses in your video and shows you each cut before anything is saved. Words like “so” and “you know” are left alone unless you ask, because they’re sometimes part of what you’re saying. You can cut any word from the transcript yourself. Everything happens on your Mac, and nothing is uploaded. For the manual way, see our guide to removing ums from a video on a Mac, and for saying them less in the first place, how to stop saying “um”. Not sure whether to cut at all? See should you remove ums from your video?
Sources
- Laserna, C. M., Seih, Y.-T. & Pennebaker, J. W. (2014). Um . . . who like says you know: Filler word use as a function of age, gender, and personality. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 33(3), 328–338.
- Fox Tree, J. E. & Schrock, J. C. (2002). Basic meanings of you know and I mean. Journal of Pragmatics, 34(6), 727–747.
- Clark, H. H. & Fox Tree, J. E. (2002). Using uh and um in spontaneous speaking. Cognition, 84(1), 73–111.
Questions
What are filler words?
Filler words are sounds and words we use to fill a gap while we think, such as “um”, “uh”, “like” and “you know”. They add little or no meaning to what you’re saying.
Which filler words should I cut?
The sounds “um”, “uh” and “er” are usually safe to cut. Words like “like”, “so” and “you know” are sometimes real, so cut them only when the sentence means the same without them.
How do I tell a filler word from a real one?
Take the word out and read the sentence back. If it still means the same thing and sounds right, it was a filler. If not, keep it.
erm is coming soon to the Mac App Store. First 3 videos free, then $29.99 once or $19.99 a year.