Scan Your Writing for Overused Phrases Detect overused cliche phrases in your writing with alternatives.

What Is Cliche Detector?

Scans against 90+ common English cliches with context, occurrence counts, and original alternatives. Phrases like "think outside the box" have lost impact through overuse. Editors routinely flag cliches as the most common writing weakness.

Why Use Cliche Detector?

• 90+ cliches in database
• Each shown in context
• Occurrence counts
• Original alternatives suggested
• Catches multi-word phrases spell checkers miss

Common Use Cases

Creative Writing

Eliminate tired phrases.

Business

Swap corporate buzzwords for direct language.

Journalism

Meet editorial standards.

Content Marketing

Stand out with original language.

Technical Guide

90+ phrases with regex word-boundary matching, case-insensitive. Context: 30 chars before/after first match. Sorted by position. Alternatives mapped for common cliches.

Tips & Best Practices

• 1
  Not every cliche needs replacing
• 2
  Business cliches more harmful than conversational
• 3
  Express ideas more specifically
• 4
  In dialogue, cliches may fit character voice
• 5
  Replace with concrete specific images

Related Tools

Reading Level Analyzer

Comprehensive readability analysis using all major formulas in one report.

✍️ Writing Tools

Passive Voice Detector

Detect passive voice constructions in text with active voice suggestions.

✍️ Writing Tools

Adverb Highlighter

Find and highlight adverbs in your writing for stronger prose.

✍️ Writing Tools

Repeated Word Finder

Find repeated words, adjacent duplicates, and close-proximity repetitions.

✍️ Writing Tools

Jargon Detector

Detect jargon and complex words with plain language alternatives.

✍️ Writing Tools

Frequently Asked Questions

Q Are all cliches bad in writing?

Not always. In casual communication, fine. In professional writing, they weaken your message.

Q How many cliches does the detector check?

90+ covering business, everyday, and metaphor cliches.

Q Can I use cliches intentionally?

Fine for humor or irony. Tool flags all for your decision.

Q Does this work for languages other than English?

English cliches only.

Q Why use a cliche detector instead of a thesaurus?

This catches multi-word phrases a thesaurus cannot.

About This Tool

Cliche Detector is a free online tool by FreeToolkit.ai. All processing happens directly in your browser — your data never leaves your device. No registration or installation required.