Is "so" a filler word?

It can be. "So" is a filler when it starts sentences out of habit ("So, I started in May"). It is not a filler when it links a cause and a result ("It rained, so we stayed in").

Is "I mean" a filler word?

Often, yes. "I mean" is a filler when it adds nothing ("I mean, it went fine"). It is not when you are correcting or clarifying something you just said.

Is "really" a filler word?

Sometimes. "Really" works as an empty intensifier when it is used out of habit ("it was really, really good"). If it adds emphasis you mean, keep it, but use it sparingly.

Is "uh" a filler word?

Yes. "Uh" and "um" are the classic filled pauses: sounds that hold your place while you plan the next words.

Filler Words: List of 40+ Examples and How to Stop

Q: What are filler words called?

They are also called filled pauses (for sounds like um and uh), verbal fillers, hesitation markers or speech disfluencies. Real words such as like, so and well are called discourse markers when they are used this way.

Q: How many filler words is too many?

There is no official limit. A practical target for a prepared talk is about one filler a minute or fewer. In casual conversation, more is normal.

Filler words are sounds, words and short phrases like um, uh, like and you know that fill a pause without adding meaning. They are also called filled pauses, verbal fillers or hesitation markers, and real words such as like, so and well count as discourse markers when they are used this way. Everyone uses them. The question is whether they help or hurt you in the moment that matters.

This guide gives you the full list (43 examples in two tables), why we use them, when they are fine, and how to cut them when you need to.

What are filler words called?

Filler words go by several names, depending on who is describing them:

Filled pauses: sounds like um, uh and er that fill silence while you think. This is the term linguists use most.
Verbal fillers or hesitation markers: everyday names for the same thing.
Discourse markers: real words such as like, so, well and you know when they manage the flow of speech rather than add meaning. See discourse marker in the glossary.
Speech disfluencies: the broadest term. It covers fillers plus repeats, false starts and self-corrections. See speech disfluency.

The short definition lives in the glossary under filler word.

List of filler words

Filler	Type	Example
um	Sound	"We should, um, start with the budget."
uh	Sound	"The results were, uh, better than expected."
er	Sound	"It was, er, a long week."
ah	Sound	"Ah, where was I?"
hmm	Sound	"Hmm, that depends on the date."
mm	Sound	"Mm, yes, I think so."
like	Word	"It was, like, the best talk I've heard."
so	Word	"So, I started at the company in May."
well	Word	"Well, the plan changed."
right	Word	"We launched in March, right, and then..."
okay	Word	"Okay, so the next slide."
actually	Word	"Actually, the numbers are fine."
basically	Word	"Basically, we need more time."
literally	Word	"I literally checked it twice."
honestly	Word	"Honestly, it went well."
clearly	Word	"Clearly, this matters."
obviously	Word	"Obviously, we tested it."
essentially	Word	"It's essentially the same tool."
technically	Word	"Technically, it's finished."
just	Hedge	"I just wanted to add one thing."
maybe	Hedge	"Maybe we could try another option."
perhaps	Hedge	"Perhaps this is the reason."
probably	Hedge	"It's probably the best choice."
somewhat	Hedge	"I'm somewhat confident it works."
I think	Hedge	"I think the data shows a trend."
I feel like	Hedge	"I feel like we're close."
I guess	Hedge	"I guess my strength is planning."

Hedges are not always fillers: "maybe" in a real question carries meaning. They become fillers when they soften a point you actually believe. Mic Buddy calls these soft words and marks them in your transcript.

Filler phrases

Filler phrase	Example
you know	"It's, you know, a big change."
you know what I mean	"It was hard, you know what I mean?"
I mean	"I mean, the launch went fine."
sort of	"It's sort of a new process."
kind of	"We kind of missed the deadline."
at the end of the day	"At the end of the day, it's about trust."
to be honest	"To be honest, I liked the first draft."
if you will	"It's a reset, if you will."
if that makes sense	"We start small, if that makes sense."
as a matter of fact	"As a matter of fact, I was there."
for what it's worth	"For what it's worth, I agree."
in a sense	"In a sense, we're starting over."
or something	"We could meet Friday or something."
and stuff	"We fixed the slides and stuff."
and things like that	"Budgets, timelines and things like that."
moving forward	"Moving forward, we'll meet weekly."

Why do we use filler words?

Filler words are not random. They do real jobs in conversation:

Planning time. Your brain needs a moment to find the next word, and um and uh hold your place while it does. In one study of task-based conversations, people were more disfluent when they described hard-to-name abstract shapes than when they described photos of children, which fits the idea that fillers rise with planning difficulty (Bortfeld and colleagues, Language and Speech, 2001).
Holding the floor. In conversation, silence can signal that you have finished. A filler tells the listener you are still going.
Softening. Like, you know and sort of make a statement sound less blunt, which is why they are more common in casual talk.
Habit. Many fillers are automatic. You do not decide to say um; it just comes out.
Nerves. Many people notice more fillers when they are nervous, especially at the start of an answer and between points.

Are filler words always bad?

No. Context matters.

When fillers are fine:

Casual conversation, where they sound natural and friendly
Brainstorming, where they show you are thinking out loud
Teaching, where a "so" or "okay" can signal a turn

When fillers hurt you:

Formal presentations, where they can make a prepared talk sound unprepared
Job interviews, when they pile up at the start of every answer
Sales pitches and leadership updates, where they soften points you need to land
Podcasts and video, where recordings make them easier to notice

How many filler words is too many?

There is no official cutoff. A practical target for a prepared talk is about one filler a minute or fewer, which is also the goal of Mic Buddy's "Pause, don't um" drill. In conversation, more is normal and nobody minds.

The goal is not zero. Zero sounds rehearsed. The goal is control: pausing on purpose instead of filling every gap without noticing.

How to stop using filler words

How to stop saying um has the full plan with exercises. In short:

1. Become aware

You cannot fix what you do not hear. Record yourself talking for two or three minutes on any topic, listen back and count your fillers. Note which ones you use most: almost everyone has two or three favorites.

2. Pause instead

When you feel an um coming, close your mouth and pause for a beat. A one or two second pause feels long to you and short to the audience. It also makes your next sentence land harder.

3. Slow down

When your mouth runs ahead of your thoughts, fillers fill the gap. Slowing your pace gives you time to plan the next sentence.

4. Plan your transitions

Fillers cluster at the start of answers and between points. Decide in advance how you will move from one point to the next ("The second reason is...") so you are not searching in the moment.

5. Practice out loud

Reading your notes silently does not train your mouth. Say the talk out loud, ideally recorded, several times.

6. Use shorter sentences

Long, winding sentences give fillers more places to hide. Short sentences are easier to say cleanly.

7. Do not chase perfection mid-speech

Trying hard not to say um while you are speaking often makes it worse. Do the work in practice, then focus on your message on the day.

Filler words in other languages

Every language has its own fillers:

Spanish: este, pues, o sea, bueno
French: euh, ben, genre, en fait
German: äh, also, halt, na ja
Japanese: eto, ano, ma
Mandarin: nage, zhege, ranhou
Arabic: yani, bas, taiban
Korean: eum, geu, geunyang
Portuguese: tipo, assim, né

Mic Buddy counts filler words in 13 languages, each with its own list.

Filler words at work

Job interviews

Interviewers expect a few fillers: you are thinking on your feet. A filler at the start of every answer is what stands out. Practice your opening lines for the questions you expect, out loud. Interview practice shows how to run a mock interview on your own.

Presentations

This is where fillers matter most, because once a listener starts noticing your ums, it is hard to stop. Rehearse your opening and your transitions until they come out clean.

Meetings and clubs

In discussion, fillers are mostly invisible. When you present or report, they are not. Toastmasters clubs even give one member the job of counting them: see the Toastmasters Ah-Counter role.

Podcasts and video

Recordings make fillers easier to hear. A rate that sounds fine in a room can be distracting in your ears. Practice, and edit where you can.

Tracking your progress

What gets measured improves. Track these over a few weeks:

Fillers per minute: your main number
Your favorites: which fillers you use most
Triggers: when they spike (nerves, hard questions, transitions)
The trend: whether the number is falling

Mic Buddy does the counting for you. After each take it shows how many filler words you used and which ones, marks them in red in your transcript, and its progress screen shows the fillers you use most. Every take is analyzed on your iPhone. It is free to download. Using it takes a subscription: a yearly, monthly or weekly plan.

The bottom line

Filler words are a normal part of speech. You do not need to remove them from your life, only to control them when it counts: record yourself, find your favorites, and practice the pause.

Filler Words: List, Examples and How to Stop Using Them