Words cannot express how annoying this expression is.
We've all seen it (and maybe also done it). A post on social media announcing a new job, engagement, accomplishment, baby, or other (happy or sad) life event with those three words "words cannot express" preceding either how excited or nervous or proud or saddened or appreciative the individual is, only to be followed by many words expressing said emotion.
Why is this such an overabused phrase? It's not just on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, wherever, but also sometimes in emails, hand-written cards, texts, and other forms of communication. Even professionals, politicians, and other public figures are guilty of it.
Obviously there are certain circumstances in life that understandably leave us speechless, and yes, in such instances, maybe it's warranted to say something along the lines of "words cannot express how I'm feeling right now." Full stop. But when a person feels so compelled to share something and takes the time to write out a whole lengthy paragraph, shouldn't that invalidate the need for this expression? If you're already putting effort into something, it doesn't make sense to be lazy with your introduction. Write to the best of your ability and permit yourself to give more depth to your thoughts and feelings.
This advice is especially pointed at brands—their hired social media "gurus" should be better than that and know how to utilize their language and communication skills better than most. There's almost nothing more cringe-y than scrolling to see a company's official account posting something with a dimwitted "words cannot express" thrown in there.
If you take away anything from this article, I hope it's that you at least have a pause before writing something that includes this meaningless expression. To assist, I present to you some alternative phrases that can be used instead. None of them are really all that exemplary, but at least they're not "words cannot express."
For those with positive news to share, start with:
"I am overjoyed to share..."
"It's almost difficult to find the perfect words to explain how I feel, but here's me giving it a shot: ..."
"Get ready to congratulate me because I just found out..."
"I've known for a few weeks, but now that I've come up with the best way to tell you all that..."
For those with negative news:
"I am deeply saddened by..."
"Now that I've come to terms with it, I want to share with everyone that..."
"My heart breaks for..."
"It's taken some time to find the right words, but I can express..."
"It took me a while to process this news and I didn't know what I wanted to say about it until now."
For those who can't pick just one emotion but have a lot to say:
"I have so many different feelings right now."
"The dictionary doesn't have the words I need to explain..."
"I'm having trouble putting into words..."
That last one is great because it puts the onus on the person, not the words themselves. "Words" can describe things, but it's up to people to actually choose them and put them to good use.
Obviously everyone can say whatever they want to say, however they want to say it. But if you've taken the time to read this, I hope you've at least considered my argument against it before deciding to stick with "words cannot express" for all your online and offline sharing. Or, you know, seek out a thesaurus to better describe your state of ineffability. If you think words cannot express how you feel, chances are, they probably actually can.