Semantic Bleaching
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
A phenomenon in which a word, due to overuse, gradually loses its original strong meaning or specific significance, or even disappears. For example, 'literally' is now often used to mean 'really' (as an exaggeration), or even the opposite.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
Maintaining the precision of language. When everything is 'awesome' or 'shocking', language loses its ability to describe true intensity. Beware of adjective inflation.
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After a word is used frequently and generically, its specific meaning or emotional intensity gradually wears off, leaving only grammatical or emphatic functions. This is a common path of grammaticalization and semantic bleaching, accompanied by the phenomenon of 'adjective inflation'.
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammaticalizationverified
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