Top 5 Phrases to Use in a Pinch

Whether it’s a teacher, a boss, or a peer, what you say next decides your legacy. We’ve all been in a situation where we have to come up with a quick phrase to get us out of a pinch. The decision we make at that moment could decide our future. 

5: Shoot, darn, heck

At first glance, this phrase looks like it hasn’t been thought out. It looks lazy. It looks uneducated. It looks flat out stupid. But when you dive deep into the roots of this witty phrase, you find something that you would never expect: care. This phrase shows the amount of care you have for whatever it is you are using it for.

Use this phrase by using THREE different phrases in one. 

4: Jeez Louise

Who is Louise you might ask? Who knows. Honestly, who cares? This phrase is an all time classic. It has made its way down hundreds of generations to become a household phrase. You will hear this on the streets, in church, or in a casino. The versatility of “Jeez Louise” is really what catapults it into the four spot. 

3: That’s malarkey

I may have a little personal bias on this one but there is no doubt it carries weight. This phrase can take the form of curse words, phrases that aren’t family friendly, and even a playful comment when hanging with some friends. The word malarkey is very uncommon, which adds to the power of its usage. So this one can be dangerous if you can’t find a good balance of when to use it. 

2: Nuts

You might be asking, why nuts? Who chose this phrase? Why is a salty snack used to express disappointment? That can all be answered in two words: it’s different. Nuts can be used by anyone, from grandma to newborn. By using “nuts” one can express  just how disappointed they are with a certain outcome. There are many instances where short is sweet and this is certainly one of those instances. It stands alone and is more lighthearted than many others mentioned. This makes it easy to use with people you are close with. I can’t even count how many times I’ve said this in the past week. 

1: Rats

Did anyone really have any doubts? I’m not going to try and get cute and put nuts in this spot like I see some of my peers doing. They just want clicks, I’m going to give you the facts. There is nothing out there better than getting out a little “Rats”. This can also be paired with a snap if you want to get fancy with it (which makes it 10x better). There will always be a place for you to say rats. Lastly, it just makes sense. Does anyone like rats? Using this phrase covers the phrase “that stinks”, “that sucks”, and countless other quips that can be used simply due to the fact that rats suck.

Honorable mentions: 

Shucks! 

That’s tuff

Gah-lee