- p.m. in the afternoon: delete in the afternoon (redundancy)
- pageant of history: cliché (avoid)
- paid the penalty for: cliché (avoid)
- paid the ultimate price: cliché (avoid)[died heroically is better writing]
- painful budget cuts: cliché (avoid)
- paint the town red: cliché (avoid)
- painted into a corner: cliché (avoid)
- pair of twins: delete pair of (redundancy) [The twins always attracted attention Not: The pair of twins always attracted attention.]
- paled into insignificance: cliché (avoid)
- panacea: not universal panacea (redundancy) [He proposed a panacea. Not: He proposed a universal panacea.]
- paralyzed with fright: cliché (avoid)
- paramount importance: cliché (avoid)
- passed with flying colors: cliché (avoid)
- pardon my French: cliché (avoid)
- part and parcel: cliché (avoid)
- partners in crime: cliché (avoid)
- passed with flying colors: cliché (avoid)
- passing fad: delete passing (redundancy) Hula hoops were a fad. Not: Hula hoops were a passing fad.]
- passing fancy: cliché (avoid)
- passing phase: not passing phase (redundancy) [It was thought she was going through a phase. Not: It was thought she was going through a passing phase.]
- past history: delete past (redundancy) [Our history is very important. Not: Our past history is very important.
- patience of Job: cliché (avoid)
- pawn in the game: cliché (avoid)
- pay a price: cliché (avoid)
- pay the piper: cliché (avoid)
- PC computer: delete computer to avoid PC (personal computer) computer (redundancy)
- peculiar freak: delete peculiar (redundancy) [The donut-shaped watermelon was a freak. Not: The donut-shaped watermelon was a peculiar freak.]
- peer group: cliché (avoid)
- pending still: delete still (redundancy) [The proposal is pending. Not: The proposal is pending still.]
- penetrate: not penetrate into (redundancy) [The oil penetrated the water table. Not: The oil penetrated into the water table.]
- penned is a poor synonym for wrote (pompous overwriting) [He wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Not: He penned the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.]
- penny for your thoughts: cliché (avoid)
- penny pinching: cliché (avoid)
- percentage of, change to: some (wordiness) [We explored some alternatives. Not: We explored a percentage of the alternatives.]
- perfect storm: cliché (avoid)
- period of time: delete of time (redundancy) [For a period, we were wary. Not: For a period of time, we were wary.]
- persist: not persist still or still persist (redundancy) [The impression persists. Not: The impression still persists. Or: The impression persists still.]
- pet aversion: cliché (avoid)
- phase: not passing phase (redundancy) [It was a phase. Not: It was a passing phase.]
- pick and choose: cliché (avoid)
- picture of health: cliché (avoid)
- pie in the sky: cliché (avoid)
- pig in a poke: cliché (avoid)
- PIN number: delete number to avoid PIN (personal identification number) number (redundancy)
- pinpoint the cause: cliché (avoid)
- pipe dream: cliché (avoid)
- piping hot: cliché (avoid)
- pit one's wits: cliché (avoid)
- plain as day: cliché (avoid)
- plain as the nose on your face: cliché (avoid)
- plain Jane: cliché (avoid)
- place in the sun: cliché (avoid)
- placed under arrest, change to: arrested (wordiness) [The suspect was arrested. Not: The suspect was placed under arrest.]
- plain as day: cliché (avoid)
- plain as the nose on your face: cliché (avoid)
- plain Jane: cliché (avoid)
- planning: not advance planning (redundancy) [The campaign took lots of planning. Not: The campaign took lots of advance planning.]
- play it by ear: cliché (avoid)
- play/playing favorites : cliché (avoid)
- playing field [other than sports]: cliché (avoid)
- playing with fire: cliché (avoid)
- playmates: not fellow playmates (redundancy) [The playmates formed a team. Not: The fellow playmates formed a team.]
- point in time: delete in time (redundancy) [The process will be re-evaluated at some point. Not: The process will be re-evaluation at some point in time.]
- point in time: delete point in (redundancy) [At some time, we will meet. Not: At some point in time, we will meet.]
- point out: not draw attention . . .to (wordiness) [He pointed out the errors. Not: He drew attention to the errors.]
- point the finger: cliché (avoid)
- point with pride: cliché (avoid)
- poisonous venom: delete poisonous (redundancy) [The coroner identified the deadly venom. Not: The coroner identified the deadly poisonous venom.]
- polite applause: cliché (avoid)
- political spectrum: cliché (avoid)
- poor but honest: cliché (avoid)
- positive success: delete positive (redundancy) [We had success with the campaign. Not: We had positive success with the campaign.]
- possibly may: delete possibly (redundancy) [She may run for office. Not: She may possibly may run for office.]
- possibly might: delete might (redundancy) [He might run for office. Not: He possibly might run for office.]
- powder keg: cliché (avoid)
- powers that be: cliché (avoid)
- predicament: not awkward predicament (redundancy) [It was a true predicament. Not: It was a truly awkward predicament.]
- pregnant silence/pause: cliché (avoid)
- prejudge in advance: delete in advance (redundancy) [The jury was told not to prejudge. Not: The jury was told not to prejudge in advance.]
- prepare the ground: cliché (avoid)
- pre-plan: delete pre- (redundancy) [We planned the event. Not: We pre-planned {or preplanned} the event.]
- pre-record: delete pre (redundancy) [The program was recorded. Not: The program was pre-recorded {or prerecorded}.]
- present in greater abundance, change to: more abundant (wordiness) [Fruits were more abundant than previously. Not: Fruits were present in greater abundance than previously.]
- present incumbent: delete present (redundancy) [The incumbent plans to retire. Not: The present incumbent plans to retire.]
- pressing the right buttons: cliché (avoid)
- pressing ahead: cliché (avoid)
- pretty kettle of fish: cliché (avoid)
- previous experience: delete previous (redundancy) [I had an exciting experience. Not: I had an exciting previous experience.]
- priority: not first priority (redundancy) [Education is the priority. Not: Education is the first priority.]
- product: not end product (redundancy) [Success was the product of our work. Not: Success was the end product of our work.]
- professional: beware of this word. Certainly use it when appropriate, but be aware that professionalism is a self-evident quality. If one has to tout themselves as "professional," it may be that the sole or primary aspect of the individual's or entity's professionalism is the use of the label.
- prohibitive: not too prohibitive [something is either allowable or prohibitive]
- pronounced success: cliché (avoid)
- pros and cons: cliché (avoid)
- protagonist: not chief protagonist (redundancy) [Macbeth was the protagonist of the Scottish play. Not: Macbeth was the chief protagonist of the Scottish play.]
- prototype model: delete model (redundancy) [It is a solar ship model. Not: It is a solar ship prototype model.]
- protrude: not protrude out (redundancy) [We don't want the bulges to protrude. Not: We don't want the bulges to protrude out.]
- proud but humble: cliché (avoid)
- proud heritage: cliché (avoid)
- proximity: not close proximity (redundancy) [The buildings were in proximity.Not: The buildings were in close proximity.]
- public: not general public (redundancy) [The public accepted the verdict. Not: The general public accepted the verdict.]
- pull out all the stops: cliché (avoid)
- push buttons: cliché (avoid)
- pushing the envelope: cliché (avoid)
- put the finger on: cliché (avoid)
- put the mind at rest: cliché (avoid)
- put in an appearance, change to: appear (wordiness) [The star is expect to appear. Not: The star is expected to put in an appearance.]
- put the screws on: cliché (avoid)
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