Have you ever read something and felt like you needed a secret decoder ring to understand the jargon?
I know I have this and it can be frustrating!
But as an experienced writer, I know that jargon is an important tool for clear communication.
It quickly conveys complex ideas and concepts without lengthy explanations.
Whether you're a technical writer, copywriter, or novelist, you'll find all kinds of jargon examples in this article—the good, the bad, and the just plain ridiculous.
So sit back and get ready to learn all about the literary device you never knew you needed.
But first…
Jargon definition
The word “jargon” refers to the use of certain words and expressions in a particular field, profession or trade.
It makes communication easier for people who know this particular language, but most outsiders cannot follow it.
The English language is teeming with jargon words and phrases, be it British slang (Don't be so shy about feeling broken, cheers!) or a few choice expressions in American English.
Sometimes people use jargon to avoid hard professional truths or to trick others who don't understand the terms.
However, most of the time it is used just for convenience, such as in technical jargon, business jargon, or medical jargon.
But don't confuse jargon with slang.
Jargon is technical language. Slang is an informal language used in casual/social communication between friends or social groups.
Over 100 great jargon examples to make you smile
Below are some of the most ridiculous and obscure jargon examples we could find, with their literal meanings in plain language. (Try not to snort loudly.)
Slang, street language and stale catchphrases
Slang terms, street language and stale buzzwords are commonly used in everyday life.
Here are a few American Generation Z slang words and jargon examples you may or may not know.
1. Boujee – Rich, luxurious, special, unusual or extravagant.
2. Millennial break — Millennials wait a split second before speaking in a video.
3. Basic – Boring or uncool.
4. Drink the Kool-Aid – Too gullible or too trusting about a situation.
5. Situation — A relationship that is almost romantic.
6. Rizz — Open-minded, charming person.
7. Touch grass – Said to someone who needs to get out.
8. Main character – Indulgent or selfish person.
9. Lit – Drunk or awesome…or both.
10. Think outside the box – Be creative.
11. Cheugy – Out of fashion.
12. Hypebeast – Popularity dog.
13. Goblin mode – Behavior that violates social norms or expectations.
14. Jacked – Really muscular.
15. Polycrisis – Old problems emerge in new ways.
Business jargon, also called corporate speak
Ahh, corporate jargon. If ever there was language designed to obscure and belittle something, this would be it.
16. I hope this helps! — Never ask me for anything again.
17. Sorry, I was muted — I have absolutely no interest in this meeting.
18. I'll come back to this again — I need an answer. A #@%*$! Yes or no is enough, just answer!
19. Thank you for your patience — You were anything but patient.
20. Prairie Dog Hunting — The simultaneous appearance of multiple heads when something interesting happens near office cubicles.
21. Can I pick your brain? — Can I borrow some ideas? I have a presentation in a few minutes.
22. Bag of snakes — A business situation with many unforeseen problems.
23. Can I stir an idea in your Think-Wok? — Could I have your opinion on this topic?
24. Eat a reality sandwich — Said when a person's ideas have absolutely nothing to do with the current situation.
25. At the end of the day — The rest of this conversation doesn't interest me, except what comes after this sentence.
26. We remain true to our core competence — In other areas we have proven ourselves to be incompetent.
27. Take this offline – Please be quiet. You embarrassed me in public. You pay privately later.
28. Our boundaries have been exceeded — You didn't listen and I'm right.
29. Blaming — What happens in a meeting where everyone tries to assign blame for something?
Medical Jargon: Language Obscura
Medical jargon can be darkly humorous, pretentiously incomprehensible, or just plain disgusting. Here are examples of all three.
30. Horror – Goose flesh.
31. Code Brown — A patient had a poop nightmare, and it's everywhere.
32. Sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia – Freezing of the brain.
33. Google MD — A patient searching the Internet for symptoms and correcting the doctor's diagnosis.
34. Digging for worms – I'm trying to find veins to stick a needle into.
35. Fall asleep — When your limbs fall asleep.
36. Borborygmus – (Try saying that ten times fast!) Stomach growling.
37. Earwax — Earwax.
38. Butts and guts — gastroenterologist.
39. Bloodsuckers – Phlebotomist.
40. Tearing – Cry.
41. Rhinorrhea — A runny nose.
Law Enforcement Jargon or “Cop Shop Talk”
Here are a few phrases police officers use every day.
42. FIDO – Screw it, keep driving.
43. Ride the lightning – Call someone names.
44. Blue Flamethrower – Rookie wants to prove himself.
45. Vox — Violent intoxication.
46. Amateur Night – New Year's Eve.
47. Christmas time — Flashing patrol car lights.
48. CODES — Combined DNA index system.
49. Deuce — Drunk driver.
50. Dine & Dash – Eating out at a restaurant and the check goes out.
51. DICE — Conduct unbecoming of an officer.
52. Highballers — Drivers drive way too fast.
53. Badge bunny – A police groupie who either dates cops, is obsessed with them, or both.
54. Ghetto Bird — Police helicopter.
Military jargon – beware: F-bombs rife
Military jargon can be complicated as each branch of the military has its own language that is full of operational and technical terminology.
But as the US Marines say: “Oorah!” Let’s do this!
55. PMS — Perfect military skills.
56. DISCO — Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office.
57. FNG – Damn new guy.
58. Oxygen Thief – Recruit who talks way too much
59. Manpads — Portable air defense.
60. Soup sandwich – A situation that was either poorly planned or went horribly wrong.
61. FUBAR – Crazy beyond recognition.
62. Five-Sided Puzzle Palace – The Pentagon.
63. Run away — Confused situation.
64. Jeep — Soldier who has just completed basic training.
65. POG — Person on the ground.
66. THE GODDESS – Bend over, it’s coming again.
67. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot – What the hell?
68. Voluntold – A voluntary action that is actually not voluntary.
Legal jargon
I've always suspected that lawyers use legal jargon to appear smart. The problem is that it also sounds ridiculous.
69. Quashal – Process in which something is canceled or undone.
70. Aliquot – A part of a larger whole, such as a sample taken for analysis.
71. Excited expression – A statement made in response to a frightening or shocking event or condition.
72. Usurious — Charging illegal or excessive interest rates.
73. Contemnor – A person found to be in contempt of court.
74. Laughing Heir – Heir to an estate who is so distantly connected to the deceased that he does not know him or mourn him.
75. Livery by Seisin — Transfer of ownership.
76. Feoffment – Granting a free inheritance of land to a man and his heirs. (English law)
77. Usufruct — The right to use and benefit from a property as long as it belongs to another person.
78. Jactitation – A false boast or statement that causes harm to another.
Social media jargon – acronyms compiled
Due to the limited length of posts and texts, social media is now the communication medium with the most acronyms/jargons. Listen.
79. FOMO – Fear of missing out.
80. ICYMI — In case you missed it.
81. IRL — In real life.
82.BSAAW — Big smile and a wink.
83. FTW – For the victory. Sometimes used sarcastically.
84. FUTAB — Feet up, give yourself a break.
85. YOLO – You only live once.
86. “GMT — Great minds think alike.
87. TL;DR – Too long; not read.
88. GOAT – Greatest of all time.
89. HABITS — I am not a doctor.
90. LMAO – Make me laugh.
Jargon and literary jargon used in literature
Used in literature, jargon creates realistic situations depending on the setting, genre, and time period. But as a profession, writing also has its own technical language.
91. Newspeak – Language intended to restrict the totalitarian government's freedom of thought and expression, in George Orwell's 1984 book.
92. Doublethink — Holding and accepting two contradictory beliefs at the same time. 1984 by George Orwell.
93. Brobdingnagian – Something of immense size or extent. From Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift.
94. Bildungsroman – A coming-of-age story.
95. Magical Realism — Genre that combines elements of magical or supernatural events with everyday reality.
96. Anachronism – Historical events, fashions, technology, etc. in the wrong place and/or time.
97. Anthimeria — Most often means using a noun as a verb.
98. Doppelganger – Twin or doppelganger of a character, usually the “evil twin.”
99. Bathos – A sudden change in tone from serious to silly.
100. Motif – A recurring theme or idea represented by a symbol or image.
101. truthfulness – The appearance of being true or real.
Jargon Examples: The Literary Tool You Never Knew You Needed
Have you enjoyed wading through the swamp of pretentious, ridiculous, condescending and arcane phrases known as jargon?
No decoder ring is needed, right?
Now that you know more jargon examples than you ever wanted, you can use them.
That's right. Enjoy each colorful slang word for its unique expression. Use these creative terms in your content marketing and other marketing efforts.
Use them to make your fiction more realistic, your copywriting more precise, and your professional writing more authoritative.
Remember that jargon is a tool. It's positive or negative depending on how you use it. (Use sparingly.)
GLHF. Good luck, have fun.
Now start writing!
This post was originally published on May 6, 2023. It has been updated for clarity and completeness.
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