Overcoooked Adjectives

I like adjectives as much as the next person, something even erratic readers of this blog already know. But, paraphrasing Albert Ellis, many people "over-awfulize". Ellis' examples usually referred to things people say to themselves that create cognitive traps and in turn, stress. My examples are instead things I've heard, out loud, way too often - overcooked adjectives. Please join my cranky rant and offer up your own.

* I was devastated. Really? Not just disappointed? And the flip side...

* I was ecstatic.  Honestly? How about happy? Glad? Very happy? Very glad?

* It was amazing or...incredible...or my favorite...unbelievable. Not just noteworthy, perhaps?

Many years ago, during one of the periods State government was laying off employees, a colleague of mine referred to that regrettable state of affairs as a "travesty". And though that noun seemed a bit strong, she briskly moved onto "awful", "terrible" and "horrible". In the midst of her overcooking, I recall being unable to get Andre the Giant out of my mind. Remember that scene from "The Princess Bride" when Andre confronts Wallace Shawn about his misuse of the word "inconceivable?"  Ever since, with mixed success, I've tried to keep Andre in my head whenever I'm tempted to overcook.