This list includes approximately 1,000 words and phrases that will, apparently, result in a grant (or other document, webpage, etc.) being flagged for additional scrutiny by NSF, NIH, and other federal agencies according to a variety of sources: a 2025 Washington Post article, a viral post on Bluesky, another viral post specific to US DOT grants, a 2025 New York Times article, a 2025 PEN America write-up, two articles in Gizmodo, and Appendix B in a report by the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation. Please let me know if I'm missing anything. Last updated December, 2025.
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