Love: The Most Abused F*cking Word in the History of Ever

Let’s start with the basics: the dictionary definition of love. According to Merriam-Webster, love is “a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person.” Sounds profound, doesn’t it? A word so powerful it’s shaped history, toppled empires, inspired revolutions, and made people do some truly dumbass shit. And yet, here we are, using this legendary word to describe… pizza.

You love pizza? Really? Are you prepared to take a solemn vow to honor and cherish pizza in sickness and health? Will you defend pepperoni’s honor till your dying day? No. You just think it’s delicious. Call it what it is. You really like pizza. But love? Love deserves better than your greasy, cheese-covered platitudes.

The “I Love Everything” Epidemic

The problem isn’t just pizza. People are out here tossing the word “love” around like it’s free samples at Costco.

“I love my new shoes.”
“I love this weather.”
“I love that TikTok trend.”

Do you, though? Or do you just like the fact that it’s sunny and your shoes don’t make your feet bleed? Because every time you throw “love” at something mundane, you’re basically stealing it from someone or something that actually deserves it. It’s like using a masterpiece painting to mop up a spilled drink. WTF?

And then we hit the real kicker: the same word you use for your favorite taco truck is the word you use for your spouse. “I love my wife,” you say, in the exact same tone you use to describe the nachos you had last week. So… are you underselling your marriage, or are you overhyping nachos? Either way, fix it.

Love Deserves Some Damn Respect

Let’s get something straight: love is not some cheap, dollar-store word to slap on every random thing you enjoy. Love is a heavyweight word. It’s the word people have died for, killed for, and lived their entire lives chasing. It’s the reason empires were built and destroyed. So yeah, it’s a little more than your opinion on pineapple on pizza.

Love is when your heart feels like a goddamn drumline every time you see that one person. It’s holding your baby for the first time and realizing nothing else will ever matter as much. It’s sacrificing your comfort, your time, and sometimes your sanity to make someone else’s life better. THAT is love.

Saying “I love chocolate croissants”? That’s not love, Karen. That’s a craving.

Words Have Power—Don’t Waste Them

When we water down words like “love,” we strip them of their power. Imagine calling every acquaintance in your life your “soulmate.” Chaos. No one would know where they stand, and the term would lose all meaning. That’s exactly what we’ve done with love. It’s like we’ve been handing out participation trophies to everything we mildly enjoy.

Let’s do better. Words have weight, and love is supposed to be the heavy hitter. Stop tossing it around like it’s confetti. Save it for the big stuff—the things and people that actually make your life worth living.

Let’s Reclaim Love

Here’s my challenge to you: Stop saying “love” unless you’re ready to back it the f*ck up. The next time you’re about to say you love something, ask yourself: “Would I fight for this? Would I sacrifice for it? Would I care about it if it disappointed me?” If the answer is no, maybe you just like it a whole lot. And that’s okay. Not everything deserves your love.

Save love for the big moments. The real people. The life-changing connections. Because when you stop slapping “love” on every little thing, it makes the times you do use it hit harder than a breakup playlist after midnight.

Get real talk on love, relationships, and all the wedding industry bullshit at Engaged AF Magazine—where we say what everyone else is too scared to. Need wedding photos that actually capture real love? Check out Epoch Moment—where we don’t do fake.