Free filler word detector — paste any text to check filler words in text instantly. See every instance grouped by word with context, remove filler words one by one, and tighten your writing.
Paste any text into the filler words checker. Detection runs instantly — no button needed.
See every filler word grouped by term with a count and example sentence from your text.
Go back to your text. Delete each flagged word and re-read the sentence — it almost always reads stronger.
Paste the edited version back. Aim for under 5% filler words for tight, professional writing.
Passive voice too? Clarity Checker catches filler, passive voice, and long sentences together.
Clarity Checker →Check readability score? Readability Checker gives Flesch score + grade level.
Readability Checker →A filler words checker scans your text for weak, redundant words that add length without meaning — such as just, really, very, basically, literally, actually, and honestly. This filler word detector checks 30+ common filler words and shows how often each appears with an example sentence from your text.
Paste your text into the checker above. Detection runs instantly — no button press needed. The tool scans every word, identifies filler words, and shows each one grouped by word with a count and an example sentence.
Review the detected filler words and example sentences. For each flagged word, try deleting it and reading the sentence again — in most cases the meaning is unchanged or stronger. Words like "just", "really", "very", and "basically" almost always weaken a sentence.
The most common filler words in writing are: just, really, very, quite, rather, somewhat, actually, basically, essentially, literally, honestly, seriously, totally, completely, absolutely, certainly, definitely, obviously, clearly, simply, generally, arguably, indeed, truly, surely, perhaps, maybe, fairly, and pretty.
Under 5% filler words relative to total words is good for most writing. 5–12% is moderate and worth reviewing. Above 12% suggests writing that feels padded or indirect. Academic writing and journalism typically aim below 5%.
Indirectly. Dense, direct writing without filler typically has lower bounce rates and higher dwell time — positive engagement signals. Shorter, tighter sentences also score better on readability metrics that Yoast and similar tools report.
Completely free with no signup, no usage limits, and no data sent to a server. All filler word detection runs in your browser using pattern matching.
Filler words are the most common reason writing feels padded, indirect, and unconvincing. Words like "just", "really", "basically", "actually", and "literally" appear constantly in first drafts and rarely add meaning. This free filler words checker scans your text for 30+ of the most common filler words using whole-word pattern matching, then shows each word grouped by frequency with an example sentence from your text — so you can see exactly where to remove filler words without hunting manually.
Most grammar checkers and spell-checkers don't flag filler words because they are grammatically correct. A dedicated filler word detector is needed to catch them. Credify's filler words checker catches the full spectrum: intensifiers (very, really, quite, rather), hedges (perhaps, maybe, somewhat), empty affirmatives (certainly, definitely, absolutely, totally), and overused discourse markers (basically, essentially, literally, obviously, simply, clearly). Blog writers use it before publishing. Students use it to tighten essays before submission. Copywriters use it to sharpen CTAs and landing page copy. Run it alongside the passive voice checker and clarity checker for a full writing audit.