Based on the rate at which he fires out novels, novellas, short stories, and any other type of literary work that tickles his fancy at any given moment, Stephen King has used an awful lot of words during his time in the spotlight as one of the horror genre’s most distinctive and iconic voices.
While he’s got a signature style that makes it fairly easy to pick his writings out of a lineup, there are some words that he’ll simply refuse to utilize. It’s ironic given that he’s only very recently been needling politicians about their decision to outlaw some books from school libraries, but you’ve got to think King is self-aware enough not to care.
When he’s not trashing Republicans or offering recommendations for his millions of followers to watch on either television or streaming, King is typically doing what he does best; reading and/or writing. And yet, there’s one seemingly-innocent word that’s left him so infuriated that he demands it be retired for good.
It’s not clear as to which context King’s sentiments apply, though, because “weaponized” is a perfectly good word. Maybe it’s tied to his ongoing war of attrition with the likes of Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, or maybe he’s been diving into a book that uses it a little too often.
Either way, an entire generation of aspiring writers will no doubt be proofreading their copy as we speak to make sure they excise a term that’s ended up infuriating one of the most famous authors of all-time.