knock on wood
"said in order to avoid bad luck, either when you mention good luck that you have had in the past or when you mention hopes you have for the future" -- Cambridge dictionary
Words
no-brainer
“something so simple or obvious that you do not need to think much about it” — Cambridge dictionary
phantasmagoria
A fantastic sequence of haphazardly associative imagery, as seen in dreams or fever --American Heritage Dictionary
choicelessness
"offering or permitting no choice" -- merriam-webster.com
path of least resistance
“The thing, option, or course of action that is easiest to do; that which avoids confrontation, difficulty, awkwardness, or tension.” — thefreedictionary.com
exaggeration
unreasonable or extravagant overstating or overdrawing in the representation of things --the Century Dictionary
propaganda
systematic effort to manipulate other people’s beliefs, attitudes, or actions by means of symbols --britannica.com
investigate
a lot like the word it comes from, investigationem meaning "a searching into," which came from the Latin for "to track a footprint." It's exactly what you do when you investigate -- vocabulary.com
killjoy
"a person who deliberately spoils the enjoyment of others through resentful or overly sober behavior" -- Google dictionary
oxymoron
"something (such as a concept) that is made up of contradictory or incongruous elements" -- merriam-webster.com
determinism
"a philosophical view where all events are determined completely by previously existing causes." -- Wikipedia
deadline
"a date or time when something must be finished" -- The Britannica Dictionary
healthy addiction
Is this a thing, or is it a contradiction in terms?
free agent
"a person who does not have any commitments that restrict their actions." -- Google dictionary
diplomacy
"The art of dealing with people in a sensitive and effective way." - Google/Oxford Languages.
"Tact and subtle skill in dealing with people so as to avoid or settle hostility." - Wiktionary