| abort | Avoid | Offensive. Use shut down, cancel, or stop. |
| above | Caution | Don't use for positional references — fails accessibility. |
| add | Preferred | Establishing a new relationship. Opposite: remove. |
| app, application | Caution | Use app only when needed for clarity. |
| begin | Caution | Context-dependent. Less formal than start. Opposite: end. |
| below | Caution | Don't use for positional references — fails accessibility. |
| blacklist | Avoid | Rooted in racism. Use blocklist. |
| boot | Avoid | Use start or run. |
| can | Preferred | Conveys permission. |
| cancel | Preferred | Stop an action without saving pending changes. |
| cannot, can't | Preferred | Indicates inability. Often confused with unable. |
| choose | Avoid | Use select. |
| click | Caution | OK for mouse actions. Otherwise use device-neutral verbs like select. |
| clone | Caution | Copy linked to the original. Distinct from copy and duplicate. |
| copy | Caution | Exact copy in same location. Distinct from clone and duplicate. |
| could | Avoid | Use can or might. |
| create | Preferred | Creating from scratch. Not "create new." Opposite: delete. |
| delete | Preferred | Data permanently unavailable to users. Opposite: create. |
| disable | Caution | Don't use for broken things. Use inactive, unavailable, deactivate, turn off, or deselect depending on context. |
| duplicate | Caution | Copy in same location. Distinct from copy and clone. |
| easy, easily | Avoid | Frustrating when users struggle. Remove — same meaning without it. |
| edit | Preferred | Not change or modify. Better for localization. |
| e.g. | Avoid | Use for example or such as. |
| enable | Preferred | Turning on or activating a feature. |
| enter | Preferred | User text input. Not type. |
| execute | Avoid | Use run or start. |
| hack | Avoid | Noun: tip or work-around. Verb: configure or modify. |
| hit | Avoid | Noun: visits. Verb: click or press. |
| i.e. | Avoid | Don't use Latin abbreviations. |
| invalid | Avoid | Use not valid or incorrect. |
| kill | Caution | Use cancel or stop unless the actual command is kill. |
| launch | Avoid | Use open. |
| may | Caution | may = permissibility, can = capability, might = possibility. |
| open | Preferred | Use instead of launch. |
| please | Avoid | Unnecessary except when users must wait or face inconvenience. |
| remove | Preferred | Removes a relationship, not data. Opposite: add. |
| select | Preferred | Preferred over choose. |
| simple, simply | Avoid | Adds no value. Implies users shouldn't need help. |
| start | Caution | Context-dependent. Less formal than begin. |
| terminate | Avoid | Use stop or exit. |
| type | Avoid | Use enter — accommodates multiple input methods. |
| unable | Caution | Means not being able to perform an action. Distinct from cannot. |
| utilize | Caution | Use use instead. |
| view | Preferred | More inclusive than see. |
| whitelist | Avoid | Use allowlist. |
