To use, open Word, go to Tools - Macro - Macros ... and click on the Create button. This should open up the macro editor. Simply copy the above code, paste it in and click the Save button and then close the Macro Editor. You should be done When you want to run it, you go back to Tools - Macro - Macros ... select the FAF_WordHighlighter macro and click the Run button - it will process the currently open document.

code:

---

  
Sub FAF_WordHighlighter()
'
' WordHighlighter Macro
' Highlight specific types of words in current document
On Error GoTo Err_HighlightWords
	Dim adverbExList
	Dim passiveList
	Dim overusedList
	Dim clicheList
	Dim adverbColor As WdColorIndex
	Dim passiveColor As WdColorIndex
	Dim overusedColor As WdColorIndex
	Dim clicheColor As WdColorIndex
	' *** Modify the following section to configure ***
	adverbExList = Array("only", "oily", "family", "homily", _
		"Billy", "Sally", "multiply", "imply", "gangly", _
		"apply", "bully", "belly", "silly", "jelly", "holy", _
		"lovely", "holly", "fly", "July", "rely", "reply", _
		"Lilly", "sully", "gully" _
		)
	adverbColor = wdYellow
	passiveList = Array("is", "isn't", "am", "are", "aren't", "was", _
		"wasn't", "were", "will", "would", "won't", "has", _
		"had", "have", "be", "been", "do", "don't", _
		"did", "didn't", "does", "doesn't", "by", "being" _
		)
	passiveColor = wdPink
	overusedList = Array("seem", "seems", "exist", "exists", "appears", _
		"make", "makes", "show", "shows", "occur", "occurs", "get", _
		"got", "went", "put", "some", "many", "most", "that", "very", _
		"extremely", "totally", "completely", "wholly", "utterly", _
		"quite", "rather", "slightly", "fairly", "somewhat", _
		"suddenly", "all of a sudden" _
		)
	overusedColor = wdTurquoise
	clicheList = Array("kind of", "sort of", "the reason for", _
		"past history", "this is why", "end result", _
		"it is possible that", "the possibility exists", _
		"for all intents and purposes", "there is a chance that", _
		"is able to", "has the opportunity to", "past memories", _
		"future plans", "sudden crisis", "terrible tragedy", _
		"as a matter of fact", "quite frankly", "all the time", _
		"white as a sheet", "as soon as possible", "at the very least", _
		"down in the dumps", "in the nick of time", "hat in hand", _
		"keep your mouth shut", "made a run for it" _
		)
	clicheColor = wdBrightGreen
	' *** do not modify code beyond this if you don't know what you're doing ***
	
	'variables
	Dim word
	Dim rng As Range
	Dim excluded As Boolean
	Dim story As WdStoryType
	Dim oldTrack
	Dim oldHighlight
	' Save current settings
	oldTrack = ActiveDocument.TrackRevisions
	oldHighlight = Options.DefaultHighlightColorIndex
	ActiveDocument.TrackRevisions = False
	' Iterate through each document section
	For Each rng In ActiveDocument.StoryRanges
		' Work only with the main body, footnotes and endnotes
		story = rng.StoryType
		If story <> wdMainTextStory And story <> wdFootnotesStory And story <> wdEndnotesStory Then
			GoTo NextRange
		End If
		' Do the adverb highlighting
		rng.Find.ClearFormatting
		rng.Find.Replacement.ClearFormatting
		With rng.Find
			.Text = "<[! ]@(ly)>"
			.Forward = True
			.Wrap = wdFindStop
			.Format = False
			.MatchCase = False
			.MatchWholeWord = False
			.MatchWildcards = True
			.MatchSoundsLike = False
			.MatchAllWordForms = False
		End With
		Do While rng.Find.Execute(Replace:=wdNone) = True
			If rng.Text = "" Then
				Exit Do
			End If
			excluded = False
			For Each word In adverbExList
				If rng.Text = word Then
					excluded = True
					Exit For
				End If
			Next
			If Not excluded Then
				' Highlight current selection
				rng.HighlightColorIndex = adverbColor
			End If
		Loop
		' Obtain range again
		Options.DefaultHighlightColorIndex = passiveColor
		rng.WholeStory
'		Set rng = ActiveDocument.StoryRanges.Item(story)
		' Do passive word highlighting
		rng.Find.ClearFormatting
		rng.Find.Replacement.ClearFormatting
		rng.Find.Forward = True
		rng.Find.Wrap = wdFindContinue
		rng.Find.Replacement.Highlight = True
		rng.Find.Format = True
		rng.Find.MatchCase = False
		rng.Find.MatchWholeWord = True
		rng.Find.MatchWildcards = False
		rng.Find.MatchSoundsLike = False
		rng.Find.MatchAllWordForms = False
		For Each word In passiveList
			rng.Find.Text = word
			rng.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
		Next
		' Do overused word highlighting
		Options.DefaultHighlightColorIndex = overusedColor
		rng.WholeStory
		For Each word In overusedList
			rng.Find.Text = word
			rng.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
		Next
		' Do misused word/cliche highlighting
		Options.DefaultHighlightColorIndex = clicheColor
		rng.WholeStory
		For Each word In clicheList
			rng.Find.Text = word
			rng.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
		Next
NextRange:
	Next
	' Restore saved settings
	ActiveDocument.TrackRevisions = oldTrack
	Options.DefaultHighlightColorIndex = oldHighlight
	MsgBox "Word highlighting complete!"
	Exit Sub
Err_HighlightWords:
	MsgBox Err.Description
End Sub

---

If you have any problems, you can post it here or on Fahim's forum or email Fahim directly at fahimf at gmail dot com.

I hope you enjoy!

The code is provided - nothing's hidden. Take a look at it. If you don't understand it, then ask someone else who you trust to look at it.