Filler Words in English: List, Examples, and When to Use Them

What Are Filler Words?

Filler words are words or sounds that speakers use to fill pauses in conversation, buy thinking time, or hold the floor while they decide what to say next. They are sometimes called hesitation devices, discourse markers, or — in formal contexts — disfluencies.

Examples of filler words in English include "um", "uh", "like", "you know", "basically", and "I mean". In writing, filler words are words that take up space without adding meaning — words like "very", "really", "just", and "quite".

Filler words have a bad reputation, especially in public speaking courses. But the reality is more nuanced: in natural conversation, filler words serve genuine communicative functions. The goal is not to eliminate them entirely, but to understand when they help and when they get in the way.

The Complete Filler Words List

Below is a comprehensive filler words list covering both spoken and written English.

Spoken Filler Words

These are the filler words native English speakers use most often in conversation and speech.

Hesitation sounds

• um — the classic thinking-time filler | "I think... um... it was around 2019."

• uh — similar to "um", slightly shorter | "Uh... let me think about that."

• er — common in British English | "The answer is... er... I am not sure."

• hmm — signals thought or uncertainty | "Hmm, that is an interesting point."

"Like" and "you know"

• like — the most versatile English filler; also used as an approximator | "It was like, really unexpected."

• you know — signals shared understanding or seeks agreement | "It was one of those days, you know?"

• you know what I mean — similar to "you know", invites confirmation | "It was exhausting, you know what I mean?"

• know what I'm saying — informal; common in American English | "It just did not feel right, know what I'm saying?"

Discourse fillers that introduce ideas

• I mean — clarifies or adds detail | "I loved it. I mean, it was not perfect, but..."

• I think — softens a statement; signals opinion | "I think the issue is communication."

• I guess — similar to "I think"; implies slight uncertainty | "I guess we could try it."

• I suppose — similar to "I guess"; slightly more formal | "I suppose that makes sense."

• well — introduces a response, often a nuanced one | "Well, it depends on the situation."

• so — introduces a conclusion or continuation | "So, the next step would be..."

• right — checks understanding; confirms a point | "Right, so we are agreed on this?"

• okay — signals agreement or a transition | "Okay, let us move on to the next topic."

• anyway — returns to the main point | "Anyway, the reason I called was..."

Softeners and hedges

• kind of — softens a description | "It was kind of awkward."

• sort of — very similar to "kind of" | "I sort of knew it would happen."

• basically — introduces a simplified summary | "Basically, we ran out of time."

• literally — used for emphasis (often not literally literal) | "I was literally exhausted."

• actually — introduces a correction or surprising fact | "Actually, that is not quite right."

• honestly — emphasises sincerity | "Honestly, I had no idea."

• obviously — signals something the speaker thinks is clear | "Obviously, we want the best outcome."

• clearly — similar to "obviously" | "Clearly, more work is needed."

• essentially — introduces a core point | "Essentially, the problem is trust."

Written Filler Words

In writing, filler words are words that add length without adding meaning. They are sometimes called padding, throat-clearing, or weak intensifiers. Academic writing guides and editors flag these regularly.

• very — weakens rather than strengthens when overused | Weak: "very important" → Stronger: "critical"

• really — informal intensifier; often adds little | Weak: "really good" → Stronger: "excellent"

• quite — reduces impact in British English in particular | Weak: "quite interesting" → Stronger: "interesting" or "fascinating"

• rather — similar to "quite"; often unnecessary | Weak: "rather difficult" → Stronger: "difficult" or "demanding"

• somewhat — vague qualifier | Weak: "somewhat unclear" → Stronger: "unclear" or "ambiguous"

• just — often unnecessary in formal writing | Weak: "I just want to say..." → Stronger: "I want to say..."

• actually / basically / essentially — can be useful but often add nothing in writing | Check each one: does removing it change the meaning?

• in order to — almost always reducible to "to" | Weak: "in order to succeed" → Stronger: "to succeed"

• due to the fact that — reducible to "because" | Weak: "due to the fact that it rained" → Stronger: "because it rained"

• it is worth noting that — often unnecessary throat-clearing | Weak: "It is worth noting that prices rose." → Stronger: "Prices rose."

Filler Words to Avoid in Essays and Academic Writing

If you are writing a formal essay, a report, or any piece of academic writing, the filler words below are the ones to watch for most carefully. They are common in spoken English but weaken written arguments.

• "very" and "really" — replace with a more precise adjective. Instead of "very important", write "critical" or "essential".

• "basically" at the start of a sentence — often signals vague summarising. Force yourself to be specific instead.

• "things" and "stuff" — vague nouns. Replace with the actual noun. Instead of "all the things we discussed", write "the three proposals we discussed".

• "a lot of" and "lots of" — acceptable informally, but "many", "numerous", or a specific number is stronger in formal writing.

• "etc." at the end of a list — signals that you ran out of examples. Either complete the list or cut it.

• "it is important to note that" — rarely adds anything. Cut it and start with the important information itself.

• "in conclusion" at the start of a conclusion — your reader knows it is the conclusion. Use a more purposeful opening instead.

Do Filler Words Help or Hurt Your English?

The answer depends on context.

In conversation, filler words serve real functions. "Um" and "uh" signal to your listener that you are still speaking and thinking — not finished. Research shows that English listeners actually process filler sounds as useful cues, not just noise. "You know" and "right" build connection and check shared understanding. Used naturally, these words make you sound like a fluent speaker rather than someone reading from a script.

The problem arises when filler words become so frequent they interrupt meaning, or when they appear in high-stakes formal contexts — a job interview, a presentation, a speech — where every pause is visible and every word counts.

In writing, filler words almost never help. Unlike speech, writing has no listener to reassure. Every word competes for the reader's attention, and filler words waste that attention without earning it.

How to Reduce Filler Words in Your Speaking

If you want to sound more confident and fluent in English — whether in conversation, in meetings, or in presentations — these techniques help.

• Pause instead of filling. Silence is more powerful than "um". A deliberate pause signals confidence; an "um" signals uncertainty. Practise pausing for one full second before answering a question.

• Slow down your overall speaking pace. Most filler words appear because speakers are racing to keep up with their own thoughts. Speaking slightly slower gives your brain time to find the next word without filling the gap.

• Record yourself speaking for two minutes and count your filler words. Awareness alone dramatically reduces frequency.

• Prepare your opening sentence. In presentations, the first sentence is where most filler words appear. Know your first sentence by heart and you will start strong.

• In conversation, it is fine to say "Let me think about that" rather than filling the pause with noise. This is fluent and natural in any variety of English.

Filler Words in British vs American English

Different varieties of English favour different filler words. In American English, "like" and "you know" are the most common conversational fillers, along with "um" and "uh". In British English, "er" and "erm" replace "um" and "uh" in many speakers, and "sort of" is more common than "kind of". "Right" is widely used in British English to check agreement, while "okay" serves a similar role in American English. Both varieties use "I mean", "well", "so", and "basically" extensively.

Practise Your English Speaking

Understanding filler words is one part of becoming a more fluent, natural English speaker. If you want to practise real conversation with an experienced teacher, Aly runs live English speaking classes every Sunday at 2 pm London time — for intermediate to advanced learners. Visit papateachme.com/english-speaking-classes to find out more.