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- habits: not usual habits (redundancy)
- habitual custom: delete habitual (redundancy)
- hackneyed. See cliché
- had occasion to be, change to: was (wordiness) [She was happy. Not: She had occasion to be happy.]
- hale and hearty: cliché (avoid)
- half: not half of [He took half the profits. Not: He took half of the profits.]
- half-baked: cliché (avoid)
- half-hearted: cliché (avoid)
- halves: not two halves (redundancy)
- hammer out (a contract/agreement): cliché (avoid)
- hands across the sea: cliché (avoid)
- hang loose: cliché (avoid)
- happens to be: more cutsey than cliché, but replace with "is," if it fits (avoid)
- harebrained: not hair-brained [based on the animal known for being skittish/timid]
- hard as nails: cliché (avoid)
- hard facts: cliché (avoid)
- hard fought: cliché (avoid)
- hard-hitting: cliché (avoid)
- has occasion to, change to: is (wordiness) [She is happy. Not: She has occasion to be happy.]
- has: not is in possession of (wordiness) [He has vast wealth. Not: He is in possession of vast wealth.]
- hastily summoned: cliché (avoid)
- have a nice day: cliché (avoid)
- have the privilege: cliché (avoid)
- have: not am in possession of (wordiness) [I have many books. Not: I am in possession of many books.]
- head case: cliché (avoid)
- head in the clouds: cliché (avoid)
- health, wealth,and happiness: cliché (avoid)
- healthy: not in best of health (wordiness) [Wise goes well with "healthy." Not: Wise goes well with "in best of health."]
- heart of the matter: cliché (avoid)
- heart’s desire: cliché (avoid)
- heart to heart: cliché (avoid)
- heartfelt thanks: cliché (avoid)
- heated argument/debate: cliché (avoid)
- heave a sigh of relief: cliché (avoid)
- height of absurdity: cliché (avoid)
- heir apparent: delete apparent (redundancy) [She is the heir. Not: She is the heir apparent.]
- help: not render assistance to (wordiness) [Please help me. Not: Please render assistance to me.]
- help: not helpto [Please help finish the project. Not: Please help to finish the project.]
- herculean efforts: cliché (avoid)
- high and dry: cliché (avoid)
- high as a kite: cliché (avoid)
- high dudgeon: cliché (avoid)
- high hopes: cliché (avoid)
- history: not past history (redundancy) [His history is an open book. Not: His past history is an open book.]
- hit the ground running: cliché (avoid)
- hit the road: cliché (avoid)
- hit the sack: cliché (avoid)
- HIV virus: delete virus to avoid HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) virus (redundancy)
- hoist: not hoist up (redundancy). [Hoist the anchor. Not: Hoist up the anchor.]
- hold a candle to it: cliché (avoid)
- hold your horses: cliché (avoid)
- hollow promises: cliché (avoid)
- hollow victory: cliché (avoid)
- homegrown: cliché (avoid)
- home in not hone in (hone means to sharpen; home in is what homing pigeons do to return home)
- hook or crook: cliché (avoid)
- hook, line, and sinker: cliché (avoid)
- hope for the future: cliché (avoid)
- hot pursuit: cliché (avoid)
- hot pursuit: cliché (avoid)
- hot-water heater: delete hot (redundancy) [We installed a solar water heater. Not: We installed a solar hot-water heater.]
- HPV virus: delete virus to avoid HPV (human papamallovirus virus) virus (redundancy)
- HTML language: delete language to avoid HTML (hyptertext markup language) language (redundancy)
- humble but proud: cliché (avoid)
- humble self or humble apologies: clichés (avoid)
- hurry: not hurry up (wordiness) [Let's hurry to the bus stop. Not: Let's hurry up to the bus stop.]
- hushed courtroom: cliché (avoid)
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