Coming in at number three: The Love Triangle
It is a tired, tired trope, and nothing but a cheap appeal to a reader’s desire to be chosen. Almost all variations of this trope are terrible. If the two dreadfully similar contenders are not being marketed as polar opposites, the average, unobvious lead is being elevated by every plot armor, plot stagelight, and plot floatie to be chosen over their outstanding, well-accomplished opponent. The Hunger Games is the only exception.
Runner's Up: Friends to Lovers
If there’s one thing worse than being cheap, it's being boring. “The love you were looking for was here all along” is terribly consolatory and unimaginative, and never fails to make me cringe. Usually this trope is only deployed because the lead has exhausted every possible attractive option, only to relegate to the second lead as a last resort. It may be realistic, but it is not romantic.
There is one trope that is even worse: Miscommunication
It's entire existence is contingent upon the act of creating problems out of nothing. “I’m lying to you because I don’t deserve you” or “I’m hurting you so that you don’t get hurt” is crazy work. Other variations of the trope, such as the act of eavesdropping then running away at just the wrong times, make me want to throw something at the TV screen.
But maybe you can change my mind. Are these your favorite tropes? Or are there tropes that are even worses?