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Poll: Americans say ‘fake news’ is second most annoying phrase

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Americans say “fake news” is the second most annoying word or phrase used in casual conversation, according to a new Marist poll released Monday.

Nearly one-fourth of respondents, 23 percent, said that “fake news” was the most annoying word. The phrase, popularized by President Trump, is a new addition to the list.

For the ninth year in a row, respondents said the top most annoying word or phrase is “whatever.” One-third of all respondents said it was the most annoying, a share that was even higher when accounting for age — 40 percent of Americans age 45 and older said it was the most annoying spoken word.

Among respondents under 45 years old, the most annoying phrase was said to be “no offense, but.”

{mosads}Trump has decried unflattering press coverage of him as “fake news” throughout his campaign and presidency, focusing particularly on CNN and The New York Times.

Trump used the phrase on Tuesday to deny a Washington Post report that had considered rescinding the Supreme Court nomination of Neil Gorsuch.

Last month, he tweeted that media outlets should compete for a “Fake News Trophy.”

In a Rasmussen poll sent out after Trump made his suggestion, 40 percent of respondents said Fox News should get the “Fake News Trophy,” the largest of any outlet.

And in an interview earlier this year on Fox Business Network, Trump took credit for the phrase, saying that he “really started this whole fake news thing.”

The Marist Poll was conducted among 1,074 adults between Nov. 6 and 9 and has a margin of error of 3 points.

Tags Donald Trump Fake News media

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