Business Buzzwords and Corporate Lingo You Must Eliminate (and What to Say Instead)

Published on: June 2, 2022

Do you want to encourage your team to give 110% on your upcoming project? Maybe you are excited about embracing the new normal with virtual offices and telecommuting. These questions have one thing in common: they rely on overused business buzzwords and corporate lingo that most professionals are tired of hearing.

Business buzzwords, corporate lingo and workplace jargon are words and phrases that get used far too often without adding real meaning. Unless used purposefully, they can limit the clarity of your communication and make it harder to get a point across. Here is a closer look at when jargon has its place and which terms you should cut from your vocabulary.

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What Are Business Buzzwords, Lingo and Jargon?

Business buzzwords, corporate lingo and workplace jargon are those words and phrases that have relatively little meaning outside of the work environment but get used far too often within it. These are words and phrases that creep into the corporate vernacular without much substance. In fact, unless they are used properly, these words and phrases can actually limit the meaningfulness of your conversation and make it harder for you to get a point across.

When Business Jargon Has Its Place

Not all corporate lingo is a problem. Abbreviations for technical or legal terms can streamline communication and create a sense of shared understanding among colleagues. Some examples that work well:

• B2B (business-to-business)
• B2C (business-to-consumer)
• CTA (call to action)
• CEO (chief executive officer)
• SOL (statute of limitations)
• USC (United States Code)

Some common phrases are also considered broadly acceptable when used sparingly:

• On the same page
• Scalable
• Robust

Why Overused Jargon Hurts Your Communication

According to a 2023 Preply survey, 2 in 5 workers report hearing corporate jargon daily and 1 in 5 say they actively dislike it. Separate research found that 43% of workers feel disengaged when they encounter jargon in the workplace. When language becomes overused it loses its meaning entirely.

For example, the phrase 'leading edge' once described a genuinely innovative idea. Today it is little more than marketing speak that most people skim past. Jargon can also make communication feel less transparent and more condescending, particularly when phrases like 'give 110%' imply that employees are not already working at full capacity.

Business abbreviations and jargon can also cause communicators to become lazy. Lazy communicators do not get their meaning across. Overused business jargon should be avoided unless the word or phrase truly fits the situation.

Most Overused and Annoying Business Buzzwords

The list below has been updated to include several terms that have become prominent in recent years. In general, if you can say something without a buzzword, that is always the better option.

1. Synergy Synergy refers to a combined value greater than the sum of its parts. The word has been so overused and misapplied that it carries little real meaning. Collaboration does not always create synergy, even when it is the right approach. Say instead: teamwork, collaboration or cooperation.

2. I'll ping you "Ping" is tech jargon for a brief digital message. Instead of saying you will ping someone, tell them how you plan to reach them so they know which platform to check. Say instead: "I'll email you" or "I'll send you a message on [platform]."

3. Give 110% Asking someone to give more than their all implies they have been holding back. It can come across as condescending rather than motivating. Say instead: "Give your best effort" or "Let's work hard toward a solution together."

4. New normal This phrase emerged to describe shifts in how people work, particularly after widespread changes to office and remote work culture. It has since become so overused that it adds little meaning to any sentence. Say instead: describe the specific change directly, such as "working remotely" or "our current way of operating."

5. Grab the low-hanging fruit In agriculture, low-hanging fruit is easy to harvest. In business, the phrase refers to tasks that are easy to accomplish. It can feel condescending to those assigned those tasks. Say instead: "Start with the easier tasks" or simply assign them by name.

6. Think outside the box A cliché that most people understand but no one wants to hear. It is ironic to ask for creative thinking using such an uncreative phrase. Say instead: "Think creatively" or "Approach this differently."

7. Circle back To circle back means to revisit a topic after further discussion. It appears on nearly every list of the most overused corporate phrases. Say instead: "Revisit this" or "Come back to this later."

8. Win-win A win-win situation benefits all parties in a negotiation. The phrase has been repeated so often that it now sounds like a sales pitch rather than a genuine outcome. Say instead: "A mutually beneficial resolution" or "Good for both sides."

9. Reinvent the wheel This phrase refers to creating a new process for something that already works. It is frustrating to listeners primarily because of how frequently it is used. Say instead: just describe what you mean — "We already have a process for this" or "No need to start from scratch."

10. Take it to the next level An improvement-focused phrase with no measurement or real meaning. "Next level" could mean anything. Say instead: "Make this work better" and specify how.

11. Bring to the table From the world of negotiations, this phrase implies someone is contributing something new. But it has become too clichéd to carry weight. Say instead: "Contribute" or "Bring a new idea to the discussion."

12. Company culture Company culture describes how employees interact and what the organization values. People are exhausted by the phrase because it gets invoked constantly without ever being defined or acted on. Say instead: describe the specific values or behaviors you are trying to build. Say "how we treat each other" or "the kind of environment we want to create."

13. Boots on the ground A military phrase used to describe people working directly with clients or in the field. Using military language in a business context can come across as tone-deaf. Say instead: "Field staff," "front-line team" or the specific role title of the people you are referring to.

14. Blue sky thinking An ambiguous phrase for brainstorming without constraints. The problem is that many people do not know what it means without context. Say instead: "Open brainstorming" or "Ideas without limits — nothing is off the table yet."

15. Touch base To touch base means to connect briefly on a work topic. It is overused to the point of near-meaninglessness. According to a Glassdoor survey, one in four employees consider it the most annoying workplace buzzword. Say instead: "Briefly discuss" or "Check in."

16. Bandwidth Used to describe a person's capacity to take on more work, "bandwidth" is a technology term borrowed and overapplied to people. According to grammar experts Kathryn and Ross Petras, it has become one of the most commonly requested words to retire from business vocabulary. Say instead: "Time," "capacity" or "availability."

17. Pivot Pivot once described a meaningful shift in business direction. It became ubiquitous during periods of widespread business disruption and now gets applied to everything from minor scheduling changes to full strategy overhauls. Say instead: "Change direction," "adjust our approach" or describe the specific change you are making.

18. Reach out Used to mean contacting someone, "reach out" has taken on a hollow corporate warmth that reads as performative. Say instead: "Contact," "call," "email" or just say how you plan to get in touch.

19. Take this offline Taking something offline means moving a conversation out of a meeting and into a separate discussion. While the intent can be valid, the phrase is widely overused and can signal to others that their input is being sidelined. Say instead: "Let's discuss this separately" or "Let's set up a separate call for this."

Tips for Improving Your Communication at Work

In most instances, avoiding business jargon is the best strategy. To communicate well in the workplace, you need to be straightforward and clear. Using buzzwords does not help with this.

Good communication at work goes beyond eliminating jargon. You also need to improve your skills in general, starting with listening. Learn to listen actively and appreciate varying communication styles within the workplace.

Whenever possible, aim for face-to-face communication. This helps you better appreciate both verbal and nonverbal cues so you get the full picture of what is being said.

Keep conversations to the point. Everyone at work has a job to do. Make sure the people around you have the information they need, but avoid the temptation to fill that communication with jargon that muddies your meaning.

Stay professional. You do not want to be too casual, as this can hurt your image in the workplace. Friendly and professional are not mutually exclusive.

Above all, make sure your words are clear. Lack of clarity is often the biggest reason jargon and buzzwords need to be cut in the first place.

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