What Word Makes You Cringe?

This Week In Writing, we talk about cringe-worthy words and give a nod to puns, courtesy of Letterkenny.
What Word Makes You Cringe?
Source: Hulu

Moist. Does it make your skin crawl? What about squirt or motherboard? These are all words people I know say feel like nails on a chalkboard (does that reference even work anymore?). Me? Not so much, but I find it interesting that some words make people cringe.

Letterkenny is a brilliantly funny show originally from Canada’s Crave and now on Hulu. It’s about a small Canadian town and the problems of the people who live there. In the episode “Way To A Man’s Heart,” the gang discovers each other’s cringe-worthy words and dives all in with spectacular puns. Take this exchange:

Dan: You gotta’ respect athleticism, Connor Moist-Gregor, Conner Moist-David, Floyd Moist-Weather. Why, they’re all at the top of their classes.

Daryl: They’re all driving Moist-eradis; that’s all I know.

Wayne: Maybe even a Rolls Moist. Or maybe a Moist-cedes Benz.

Daryl: No Moist-subishis Eclipses in that bunch.

Dan: They’re not using Capital One Moister-Cards.

I love a good pun, especially when using cringy words. Are there words that make your skin crawl? What are they, and how can you make them incredibly punny?

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