Last updated October 10, 2026 · Report an error
Filler and hedge words — like "very," "just," "actually," and "basically" — quietly weaken writing without adding meaning. They're easy to overuse without noticing, since they feel natural in casual speech.
This tool scans your text against a list of commonly-flagged filler words and phrases, and shows you exactly which ones you're using and how often.
How it works
Paste your text. The tool checks it against a fixed list of common filler and hedge words and phrases, matching each as a whole word (not as part of a longer word), case-insensitively, and tallies how many times each one appears.
- Enter text.
- Click Calculate to see your results.
Examples
A sentence with several fillers
"This is basically just a really simple test" contains three filler words: "basically," "just," and "really."
Who should use it
- Tightening up a blog post, essay, or article before publishing.
- Reviewing spoken-word transcripts (like podcast scripts) for filler words.
Industry applications
- Content writing and editing
- Public speaking and presentation preparation
Advantages
- Quickly surfaces overused filler words you might not notice while writing.
- Shows a full breakdown of which specific words were found and how often.
Limitations
- Only checks against a fixed list — it won't catch every possible filler word or phrase, and some flagged words may be intentional stylistic choices.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Removing every flagged word mechanically without checking whether it actually weakens that specific sentence.
- Not re-checking text after editing, since new filler words can creep back in during revision.
Best practices
- Read each flagged sentence aloud without the filler word — if it reads just as well (or better), the word probably wasn't adding anything.
Tips
- Pair this with the Word Counter tool to see your overall reading time and word count alongside the filler word breakdown.