Tools / Banned Words Checker
AI tools were trained to use certain words constantly. This checker scans your content against the complete AEOShark banned word list and shows you exactly where each flagged word appears.
Your content score will appear here
Why It Matters
AI language models were trained using a process called Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF). Human raters gave higher scores to responses that sounded polished and professional. Words like “delve,” “tapestry,” and “comprehensive” appeared in academic and formal writing that raters consistently rated highly. So models learned to use them.
The result is a predictable fingerprint. “Delve” appears 48 times more often in AI-generated text than in human writing. “Tapestry” appears 35 times more often. “Multifaceted” appears 28 times more often. Three or more trigger words in a 500-word passage increases AI detection probability by 35 to 50 percent according to Originality.ai's published methodology.
What This Tool Checks
Single Banned Words
46 terms that appear disproportionately in AI-generated content. Words like “paramount,” “synergy,” “holistic,” and “cornerstone” are not wrong in isolation. But their frequency in AI output has made them detection signals.
Human writers use them occasionally. AI uses them constantly. AEOShark's checker flags every instance, including word forms like “robustly” and “optimizing.”
Banned Phrases
17 structural patterns AI uses to open or close paragraphs. “It is important to note” is how AI signals a key point. “In today's world” is how AI frames relevance. “In conclusion” is how AI ends a piece.
Phrases carry a higher score penalty (8 points each vs 5 for words) because they are stronger AI signals than individual words.
Scoring
Your content starts at 100. Each banned word instance found deducts 5 points. Each banned phrase instance found deducts 8 points. Phrases carry a higher penalty because they are stronger AI signals than individual words.
The score is a directional signal, not a guarantee. Originality.ai and GPTZero use statistical pattern analysis across entire passages. AEOShark's checker targets the specific list the Citation Loop system bans — which overlaps heavily with what those tools flag.
No flagged content
Minor issues — one or two words to replace
Multiple issues — significant fixes needed
Major revision needed before publishing
The Fix
The fix is always the same. Replace the vague signal word with the specific thing you actually mean.
“Robust” does not tell the reader anything. “Handles 10,000 requests per second without dropping connections” tells them exactly what robust means in this context. “Seamless” means nothing. “Installs in 3 clicks with no configuration required” means something.
Every banned word is a placeholder for a specific fact you have not written yet. Flagged content is not just an AI detection problem. It is a specificity problem.
The Rule
FAQ
A banned words checker scans your content for words and phrases that appear disproportionately in AI-generated text. AEOShark's checker uses the Citation Loop banned word list — 46 single words and 17 phrases that signal machine-generated writing to readers and AI retrieval systems. It highlights every instance inline so you can fix them before publishing. This does not apply to technical documentation where specialized terminology is unavoidable.
AI retrieval systems are trained to prefer content that reads as human-written. Content containing multiple AI-pattern words scores lower during knowledge retrieval because it resembles the generic, low-specificity writing that retrieval systems are trained to deprioritize. Replacing banned words with specific facts, numbers, and direct language increases the precision of your content's embedding match during AI extraction.
Yes. "Comprehensive" appears in the AEOShark banned list because it is one of the most overused AI signal words in web content. It tells the reader nothing specific. Every writer claims their guide is comprehensive. The word that replaces it should describe exactly what the content covers — "this guide covers setup, pricing, and the three most common configuration errors" is specific. "Comprehensive guide" is not. Still, the word itself is not harmful in isolation — the problem is frequency and context.
An AI content detector like GPTZero or Originality.ai analyzes statistical patterns across your full passage — sentence variety, word predictability, and proximity to known AI output signatures. AEOShark's banned words checker targets a specific curated list of words and phrases. It is faster, more actionable, and shows exactly which words to fix rather than giving a percentage score. Use both together for the most complete picture before publishing.
No. Removing banned words reduces detection probability but does not eliminate it. AI detection tools analyze sentence structure, tone consistency, and statistical patterns that go beyond individual word choice. What removing banned words does guarantee is that your content reads more specifically and directly — which improves both human engagement and AI citation probability regardless of detection scores.