- made a statement, change to: said (wordiness) [She said, "It is good." Not: She made a statement, "It is good."]
- made an approach to, change to: approached (wordiness) [We approached the turnoff. Not: we made an approach to the turnoff.]
- made: not made out of (redundancy) [The statue was made of many elements. Not: The statue was made out of many elements.]
- major breakthrough: delete major (redundancy) [The discovery was a scientific breakthrough. Not: The new discovery was a major scientific breakthrough.]
- make good one’s fate: cliché (avoid)
- mad as a hatter: cliché (avoid)
- madcap scheme: cliché (avoid)
- make ends meet: cliché (avoid)
- make or break: cliché (avoid)
- make the grade: cliché (avoid)
- make waves: cliché (avoid)
- malignant fate: cliché (avoid)
- manicured lawns: cliché (avoid)
- many: not large number of (wordiness) [Many did not agree. Not: A large number of folks did not agree.]
- many: not large percentage [or proportion] of (wordiness) [Many did agree. Not: A large percentage did not agree.]
- marathon negotiating session: cliché (avoid)
- marked contrast: cliché (avoid)
- marked improvement: cliché (avoid)
- marshal support: cliché (avoid)
- mass of humanity: cliché (avoid)
- master: not complete master (redundancy) [He was a master of his art. Not: He was a complete master of his art.]
- masterpiece of understatement: cliché (avoid)
- matter of life and death: cliché (avoid)
- may possibly: delete possibly (redundancy) [She may decide to run. Not: She may possibly decide to run.]
- mecca for travelers: cliché (avoid)
- media circus: cliché (avoid)
- mental telepathy: delete mental (redundancy) [I wondered if he was using telepathy. Not: I wondered if he was using mental telepathy.]
- merge: not merge together (redundancy) [The lanes merge just over the hill. Not: The lanes merge together just over the hill.]
- met: not gathered together (wordiness) [The group met each week. Not: The group gathered together each week.]
- method in one’s madness: cliché (avoid)
- might possibly: delete possibly (redundancy) [We might go to New York next year. Not: We might possibly go to New York next year.]
- milk of human kindness: cliché (avoid)
- mind one's P's and Q's: cliché (avoid)
- mindless violence: cliché (avoid)
- miraculous escape: cliché (avoid)
- mixed blessing: cliché (avoid)
- model: not prototype model (redundancy) [The model set the standard. Not: The prototype model set the standard.]
- moment of truth: cliché (avoid)
- momentous decision: cliché (avoid)
- monopoly: not complete monopoly (redundancy) [The USA railroads were once a monopoly. Not: The USA railroads were once a complete monopoly.]
- monumental traffic jam: cliché (avoid)
- more abundant: not present in greater abundance (wordiness) [This year's harvest was more abundant than last year's. Not: This year's harvest was present in greater abundance than last year's.]
- more in sorrow than anger: cliché (avoid)
- more preferable: delete more (redundancy) [The second choice is preferable. Not: The second choice is more preferable.]
- more sinned against than sinning: cliché (avoid)
- more superior: delete more (redundancy) [The first choice is superior. Not: The first choice is more superior.]
- more than meets the eye: cliché (avoid)
- more the merrier: cliché (avoid)
- moreover: not and moreover (redundancy)
- more unique: delete more (unique cannot be qualified) [The replica is unique. Not:
The replica is more unique than any model.]
- Mother Nature: cliché (avoid)
- motley crew: cliché (avoid)
- moutain out of a molehill: cliché (avoid)
- mutual advantage of (or to) both: delete of (or to) both (redundancy) [The proposition is of mutual advantage. Not: The proposition is of mutual advantage to both.]
- mutual cooperation: delete mutual (redundancy) [The settlement was a model of cooperation. Not: The settlement was a model of mutual cooperation.]
- mutual relationship: delete mutual (redundancy) [We had a good relationship. Not: We had a good mutual relationship.]
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