Guide
Filler words: which to cut — and which to keep
What are filler words, and why do we say them?
Filler words are the small sounds and phrases people say while they think: “um”, “uh”, “like”, “so” and “you know”.
A filler word buys time to find the next thought or signals that you haven’t finished talking. A few are normal; they become a problem when they cluster and pull attention from what’s being said.
Which filler words to cut: “um” and “uh” first
“Um” and “uh” almost never carry meaning, so they’re safe to cut; “like”, “so” and “you know” often do.
“She was, like, really fast” and “it looks like rain” both contain “like”, but only one is a filler. That’s why these words will be flagged for you instead of cut automatically.
| Filler word | Default | Why |
|---|---|---|
| um, uh | Cut | Pure hesitation |
| like | Your call | Often part of the sentence |
| so | Your call | Can open a real point |
| you know | Your call | Sometimes a genuine question |
How to remove filler words from speech at the source
The easiest filler word to remove is the one you never say.
Pause instead of filling the gap — a short silence sounds more confident than “um”. Speak from an outline, not a script, slow down slightly and record shorter takes. Knowing your own most common filler words makes them easier to catch.
How to remove filler words by hand in an editor
Until the automatic tool arrives, you can remove filler words by hand in any audio editor — it just takes time.
Mark each “um” and “uh”, select it from the end of the word before to the start of the word after, and delete it. Add a short crossfade at the cut and listen across the join; if the room tone jumps or the rhythm feels rushed, leave a little more space.
Don’t cut every single filler word
Leaving a few filler words in keeps a conversation sounding human.
A guest with zero hesitation can sound scripted. Removing the distracting ones — clusters, or a filler at the start of every answer — usually helps the flow more than removing them all.
Breaths aren’t filler words — keep most of them
Breaths give speech its rhythm; removing all of them makes sentences run together.
If a few are loud and sharp, speak slightly across the microphone next time. In the edit, lowering a harsh breath sounds gentler than cutting it out.
