Filler Word Finder
Paste a draft and the finder highlights every filler word and phrase from a built-in list of 42 — very, really, just, actually, kind of, in order to and more — then counts them and gives you the filler density as a percentage of your words, with a Tight, Moderate or Heavy rating. It checks a fixed list rather than reading for meaning, so you decide which to cut. Free, no sign-up, and nothing is uploaded.
How to Use the Filler Word Finder
- Paste your text. The analysis runs as you type, in your browser only.
- Read the density. Filler density is the number of matches divided by your word count, shown as a percentage. Under 3% rates Tight, up to 6% Moderate, and above 6% Heavy. These bands are this tool’s own rule of thumb.
- Scan the highlighted text. Each match is shaded in place. Read the sentence without it: if nothing is lost, cut it.
- Check the frequency list. Fillers you lean on repeatedly — usually just, really or very — are the habits to break first.
What Counts as a Filler
A filler adds sound but little meaning. Speakers use them to fill pauses; writers pick up the habit. The finder matches a fixed list of 42 entries, case-insensitively and as whole words, in three groups:
- Intensifiers: very, really, quite, rather, somewhat, fairly, highly, extremely, incredibly, absolutely, totally, completely, entirely, truly, particularly.
- Emphasis and softening words: just, actually, basically, literally, simply, definitely, certainly, honestly, seriously, obviously, clearly, essentially, virtually, practically.
- Phrases: a lot, a bit, kind of, sort of, of course, you know, I mean, in order to, in my opinion, to be honest, for what it’s worth, as a matter of fact, at the end of the day.
Phrases count as one match, so in order to adds one to the count, not three. The list does not include every filler. It will not flag needless to say or it goes without saying, which the Cliché Finder covers. Straight apostrophes match; a curly apostrophe in it’s will keep for what it’s worth from being found.
When to Keep One
Because the finder matches words, not meaning, it flags some uses that are correct. A just society uses just as an adjective meaning fair. Rather than is a conjunction, not an intensifier. Clearly and obviously are sometimes the point of a claim — but a writer who needs to say a claim is “obvious” has often not shown why, and the Hedging Language Checker treats such words as boosters to check against your evidence. In academic writing in order to can usually become to, but keep it when to alone would be ambiguous. Particularly and highly appear in many accepted phrases (highly cited).
Worked Example
The first paragraph has 26 words and 5 filler matches — just, really, quite, In order to, simply — a density of 19.2%, which rates Heavy. The second keeps every fact and has none:
Before
I just really wanted to say that the results were quite clear. In order to test the model, we simply ran it twice, and it worked.
After
I wanted to say that the results were clear. To test the model, we ran it twice, and it worked.
The revision is 20 words with a density of 0.0%. It lost six words and no information. Not every cut is free, though: quite clear signalled that the writer was less than certain, and the revised sentence is more confident than the original. Check that the stronger version is still true.
Which Tool Do You Need?
| The problem is… | Use |
|---|---|
| A short list of stock intensifiers, hedges and filler phrases | This Filler Word Finder |
| Any word ending in -ly, whether or not it is on a list | Adverb Finder |
| Wordy phrases with a shorter equivalent (due to the fact that → because) | Wordiness Checker |
| Sentences full of function words (the, of, is, that) | Sticky Sentence Checker |
| Stock expressions such as think outside the box (the two lists share at the end of the day) | Cliché Finder |
The filler list and the Adverb Finder overlap on purpose: 24 of the 29 single-word fillers end in -ly. This page also catches the ones that do not — very, quite, rather, somewhat, just, a lot — and ranks them against a density scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are filler words in writing?
- Filler words are words and phrases that add little or no meaning, such as very, really, just, actually, basically, literally, kind of and in order to. They come from speech, where they buy time. In writing they pad sentences and can make you sound less sure.
- How does the filler word finder work?
- It compares your text against a list of 42 words and phrases, highlights every whole-word match regardless of capitals, counts each one and divides the total by your word count. It does not read for meaning, so a legitimate use of just or rather is highlighted too.
- What is a good filler word density?
- This tool calls anything under 3% Tight, 3–6% Moderate and above 6% Heavy. Those figures are a practical guide, not a published standard. Conversational and personal writing runs higher than formal reports, so compare your draft with the kind of text you are writing.
- Should I delete every filler word?
- No. Read each sentence without the highlighted word. If the meaning and the force of the claim survive, cut it. If it softens a claim you cannot fully support, keep it or hedge on purpose.
- Which filler words does it look for?
- 42 entries: intensifiers such as very and extremely, adverbs such as just and basically, and phrases such as kind of, in order to and at the end of the day. The full lists are in the section above.
- Is it the same as the Adverb Finder?
- No. The Adverb Finder highlights every word ending in -ly. This tool checks a fixed list that includes non--ly words such as very, just and quite and several phrases, and rates the density.
- Is my text sent to a server?
- No. The analysis runs entirely in your browser; the text you paste is not uploaded or stored.