Asking AI to help polish your writing? Avoid the following words!
Based on two 2025 studies analyzing 27.5 million PubMed articles, identifying English words favored by AI.
Trigger Timing
- The user asks you to polish an English article
- The user asks you to write an English academic/professional article
- The user wants to check whether an article contains AI-sounding English words
- The user says "human-write" or "scan AI words"
- For Chinese writing, please refer to
chinese-patterns.md
Top 10 Most Severe AI Words
Based on two 2025 studies analyzing 27.5 million PubMed articles, identifying English words favored by AI.
Top 10 Most Severe AI Words
After writing or polishing, search these 10 first. If any appear, think twice:
| Rank | Word | Why suspicious | Replacement direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | delve | Highest 2024 Z-score, AI's favorite | explore, examine, look into |
| 2 | underscore | AI uses it to replace emphasize | emphasize, highlight, stress |
| 3 | meticulous | AI's favorite adjective | careful, thorough, precise |
| 4 | intricate | AI uses it to replace complex | complex, detailed, elaborate |
| 5 | tapestry | AI's favorite metaphorical term | mix, combination, array |
| 6 | commendable | AI's praise term | impressive, notable, solid |
| 7 | showcase | AI uses it to replace show/demonstrate | show, demonstrate, present |
| 8 | pivotal | AI uses it to replace important/key | key, important, central |
| 9 | bolster | AI uses it to replace support/strengthen | support, strengthen, back up |
| 10 | surpass | AI uses it to replace exceed/outperform | exceed, beat, outperform |
Complete AI-preferred vocabulary list
| AI preference | More natural alternative |
|---|---|
| delve (into) | explore, look into, examine |
| underscore | emphasize, highlight, stress |
| showcase | show, demonstrate, present |
| bolster | support, strengthen, back up |
| elucidate | explain, clarify, make clear |
| garner | gain, attract, earn, get |
| leverage | use, take advantage of, build on |
| unveil | reveal, introduce, present |
| scrutinize | examine, inspect, review |
| surpass | exceed, beat, outperform |
| boast | have, feature, offer |
| foster | encourage, promote, support |
| facilitate | help, enable, make easier |
| harness | use, apply, put to use |
| navigate | handle, manage, deal with |
| streamline | simplify, improve, speed up |
| illuminate | show, reveal, shed light on |
| spearhead | lead, drive, champion |
| embark (on) | start, begin, launch |
| endeavor | try, attempt, work toward |
| encompass | include, cover, span |
| catalyze | trigger, spark, drive |
| augment | add to, increase, supplement |
| delineate | describe, outline, define |
| juxtapose | compare, contrast, set side by side |
| transcend | go beyond, rise above, exceed |
| AI preference | More natural alternative |
|---|---|
| meticulous | careful, thorough, precise |
| intricate | complex, detailed, elaborate |
| pivotal | key, important, central, crucial |
| commendable | impressive, notable, solid, good |
| groundbreaking | new, innovative, first-of-its-kind |
| transformative | significant, game-changing, major |
| nuanced | subtle, complex, layered |
| comprehensive | full, complete, thorough |
| robust | strong, solid, reliable |
| multifaceted | complex, varied, diverse |
| noteworthy | notable, worth noting, significant |
| paramount | most important, top, critical |
| holistic | overall, whole, complete |
| overarching | main, broad, general |
| unprecedented | never before seen, first, new |
| salient | key, main, important |
| burgeoning | growing, rising, expanding |
| AI preference | More natural alternative |
|---|---|
| primarily | mainly, mostly, largely |
| notably | especially, in particular |
| predominantly | mostly, mainly, largely |
| compellingly | convincingly, strongly |
| profoundly | deeply, greatly, strongly |
| moreover | also, besides, in addition |
| furthermore | also, and, in addition |
| importantly | (often deletable — just state it) |
| crucially | (often deletable — just state it) |
| remarkably | surprisingly, strikingly |
| substantially | greatly, significantly, a lot |
| inherently | by nature, naturally, fundamentally |
| AI preference | More natural alternative |
|---|---|
| tapestry | mix, combination, range |
| realm | area, field, domain |
| landscape | field, area, scene, picture |
| synergy | teamwork, cooperation, combined effect |
| paradigm | model, approach, framework |
| nexus | link, connection, center |
| interplay | interaction, relationship |
| cornerstone | foundation, basis, key part |
| underpinning | basis, foundation, support |
| discourse | discussion, debate, conversation |
| trajectory | path, direction, trend |
| myriad | many, numerous, a wide range of |
| plethora | many, plenty, a lot of |
Usage
Mode 1: Automatically avoid when polishing
When polishing English for the user,proactivelyavoid all the above words. If the original text does not contain these words, they should not appear after polishing either.
Rules:
- Do not add AI words that were not in the original text — polishing is improvement, not embellishment
- Replace AI words already in the original text — use more natural alternatives, but ask the user first
- Preserve the user's voice — if the user already likes to use a certain word, do not replace it for them
Mode 2: Scan detection
Use a built-in script to scan the article and generate an AI vocabulary density report:
python3 ~/.claude/skills/human-write/scan-ai-words.py <file>
# 或從 stdin
cat essay.txt | python3 ~/.claude/skills/human-write/scan-ai-words.py
Output format
═══ AI Word Scan Report ═══
Score: 3.2 / 10 (moderate AI flavor)
Found 8 AI-flavored words in 1,200 words (0.67% density)
TIER 1 (top flagged):
delve ×2 (lines 5, 23)
meticulous ×1 (line 14)
TIER 2 (commonly flagged):
comprehensive ×3 (lines 8, 31, 45)
furthermore ×2 (lines 12, 38)
Suggestions:
Line 5: "delve into the mechanisms" → try "explore the mechanisms"
Line 14: "meticulous analysis" → try "careful analysis"
...
Scoring criteria
| Score | Density | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | < 0.2% | Natural, almost no AI traces |
| 3-4 | 0.2%-0.5% | Slight, a small replacement is enough |
| 5-6 | 0.5%-1.0% | Moderate, recommend checking one by one |
| 7-8 | 1.0%-2.0% | Obvious, requires extensive rewriting |
| 9-10 | > 2.0% | Strong AI flavor, rewrite it |
Research background
Two key papers
- Matsui K. (2025). Delving Into PubMed Records: How AI-Influenced Vocabulary has Transformed Medical Writing since ChatGPT. Perspectives on Medical Education, 14(1), 882-890.
- Kobak, D., et al. (2025). Delving into LLM-assisted writing in biomedical publications through excess vocabulary. Science Advances, 11(27), eadt3813.
Core findings
- Analyzed 27.5 million PubMed records (2000-2024)
- Of 135 AI-preferred words, 103 showed a statistically significant surge in 2024
- The trend started from 2020(two years before ChatGPT's release)
- Most of the 84 standard academic terms in the control group remained stable
Two-phase pattern
- First phase (2020-2022): Early AI tools such as DeepL and Grammarly began to influence word choice
- Second stage (2023-present): The ChatGPT explosion, and AI vocabulary was amplified on a large scale (β = 0.655, p < 0.001)
Non-native English-speaking researchers
- In papers from China, South Korea, Taiwan, and elsewhere, the proportion of AI vocabulary use is about 20%
- English-speaking countries about 5%
- This does not mean "improper use," but it does mean more attention needs to be paid to post-review editing
Important reminder
- The "appearance" of vocabulary does not necessarily mean it was definitely written by AI
- The key isdensity: It is normal for humans to occasionally use delve, but using it in every paragraph is not normal
- AI did not "create" these usages, but greatly "amplified" them
- At the same time, some traditional academic terms have instead decreased: purpose of, hypothesis, results suggest
Notes
- This list is based onmedical literatureresearch, but AI-preferred vocabulary is common across fields
- It is not saying these words "cannot be used," but rather that before using them you should confirm it is your own choice
- It is entirely reasonable for non-native English speakers to use AI for polishing, as long as they edit it themselves one final time
- Human writing has "bumps, dents, obsessions, and flaws"; these are features, not shortcomings
- AI is a drafting machine, not a ghostwriter