The Week in Polls: "Whatever" Is, "Like," So Annoying

Americans hate the words whatever, like and you know.

Americans Weigh In - Congress loses a popularity contest, the number of interracial marriages in the United States reaches all-time high, President Obama gets kudos for fiscal cliff dealings, plus more national polls. – Joyce Jones and Britt Middleton

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America Weighs In - Americans lose faith in President Obama and Congress over a "fiscal cliff” deal and are fearful about what 2013 holds, holiday shoppers turn out ahead of Christmas, plus more national and political polls. – Britt Middleton and Joyce Jones  

"Whatever" Is Most Annoying Word - For the fourth year in a row, Americans say “whatever” is the most annoying word or phrase in conversation. More than 32 percent of people polled by Marist have this view while "like” irritates 21 percent of residents nationally. “You know” came in at 17 percent and 10 percent of respondents would like to see “just sayin’” banned. (Photo: GettyImages)

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"Whatever" Is Most Annoying Word - For the fourth year in a row, Americans say “whatever” is the most annoying word or phrase in conversation. More than 32 percent of people polled by Marist have this view while "like” irritates 21 percent of residents nationally. “You know” came in at 17 percent and 10 percent of respondents would like to see “just sayin’” banned. (Photo: GettyImages)

Do-Over - Freed from the pressures of having to campaign for office again, will Obama be a stronger president during his second term? In a CNN/ORC International poll released Dec. 27, 46 percent said he will do a better job over the next four years, while 22 percent said they believe his performance will be worse. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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Do-Over - Freed from the pressures of having to campaign for office again, will Obama be a stronger president during his second term? In a CNN/ORC International poll released Dec. 27, 46 percent said he will do a better job over the next four years, while 22 percent said they believe his performance will be worse. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The Final Countdown - With just days before the Jan. 1 deadline, Americans have lost faith that President Obama and members of Congress will reach a budget deal to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff. Fifty percent of Americans say no agreement can be reached in time, according to a Dec. 26 Gallup poll. Separately, 54 percent said they approve of President Obama’s handling of the negotiations. (Photo: AP Photo/Luke Sharrett, Pool)

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The Final Countdown - With just days before the Jan. 1 deadline, Americans have lost faith that President Obama and members of Congress will reach a budget deal to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff. Fifty percent of Americans say no agreement can be reached in time, according to a Dec. 26 Gallup poll. Separately, 54 percent said they approve of President Obama’s handling of the negotiations. (Photo: AP Photo/Luke Sharrett, Pool)

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Big Spenders - Americans really shopped until they dropped ahead of the Christmas holiday, according to a Gallup survey released Dec. 26. Shoppers spent about $119 per day between Dec. 21-23, a spike from $102 between Nov. 27-29. Economists hope the jump in spending will revive a shopping season that was generally described as sluggish compared to past years. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Religious Pursuits - Seventy-seven percent of the U.S. adult population identifies with a Christian faith, according to the Gallup poll released Dec. 24, with the largest (52 percent) identifying as Protestant or another non-Catholic religion. Twenty-three percent say they are Catholic, 2 percent affiliate with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and 18 percent said they do not have an explicit religious identity. Five percent said they identify with a non-Christian religion.(Photo: Getty Images/STOCK)

Uninsured and Unaware - As the White House prepares to implement additional provisions in the Affordable Care Act, 81 percent of Americans say they know about the individual mandate.  But among those who are currently uninsured, a Gallup survey released July 2 shows, 43 percent said they were unaware that they must have coverage by Jan. 1. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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In Good Hands - Sixty-seven percent of people in a Dec. 21 Gallup poll rate their healthcare coverage as “excellent” or “good,” a drop from 72 percent who said the same this time last year — and the difference could come down to lifestyle. The polling organization found that higher-income Americans are much more likely than lower-income adults to give their healthcare higher marks. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Gun Control Questions Arise - As the fatal shooting of two firefighters in New York over the weekend marks another tragedy stemming from gun violence, Americans on the whole are divided on the issue. Forty-nine percent of people argue it is more important to control gun ownership while 42 percent say it is more important to protect the right of Americans to own guns, according to a Pew poll released on Dec. 20. (Photo: AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

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Gun Control Questions Arise - As the fatal shooting of two firefighters in New York over the weekend marks another tragedy stemming from gun violence, Americans on the whole are divided on the issue. Forty-nine percent of people argue it is more important to control gun ownership while 42 percent say it is more important to protect the right of Americans to own guns, according to a Pew poll released on Dec. 20. (Photo: AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

Catching Some ZZZs - In a national sleep survey released Dec. 26, 78 percent of people said they wear pajamas to bed and 74 percent admit to sleeping on their side. Forty-seven percent admitted to sharing a bed with someone who snores. (Photo: Getty Images/STOCK)

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Catching Some ZZZs - In a national sleep survey released Dec. 26, 78 percent of people said they wear pajamas to bed and 74 percent admit to sleeping on their side. Forty-seven percent admitted to sharing a bed with someone who snores. (Photo: Getty Images/STOCK)

Happy New Year? - The New Year often is an opportunity to look forward and be hopeful. Many Americans are feeling just the opposite. In a new Washington Post/ABC News poll published Dec. 24, just 53 percent said they are hopeful about their lives in 2013 and 44 percent said they're fearful. In addition, 56 percent said they are more fearful about what's ahead for the world.  (Photo: Brian Harkin/Getty Images)

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Happy New Year? - The New Year often is an opportunity to look forward and be hopeful. Many Americans are feeling just the opposite. In a new Washington Post/ABC News poll published Dec. 24, just 53 percent said they are hopeful about their lives in 2013 and 44 percent said they're fearful. In addition, 56 percent said they are more fearful about what's ahead for the world. (Photo: Brian Harkin/Getty Images)