heartsink
n.— «There are any number of heartsink words and phrases in the English language, and they are proliferating. Words such as “forum,” “convention” and “summit” send a signal to most people’s brains: Turn off now.» —“Beware Of Heartsinkers, Even If They Do Have One Useful Function” by Jenny Tabakoff Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) Sept. 18, 1995. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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