The Jargon Begone! list
The jargon below has been provided by the community. You can add to the jargon list too, just click on the Jargon Begone! button below.
| Entry Date | What jargon term annoys you the most? | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2026 | cohort | It's group - simple... |
| Apr 16, 2026 | clunge | i don't know what it means |
| Dec 16, 2025 | retained instrument | This phrase implies that a patient has 'held onto' surgical materials or equipment, as opposed to something that has been 'left behind' or 'misplaced'. Grinds my gears everytime I see it. |
| Oct 27, 2025 | The notice of Drop the Jargon Day was pure JARGON: | You actually said: "This year’s theme, Meet people where they are, focuses on embedding health literacy principles to build understanding and empower communities. “ It would appear no one can drop the jargon, even those trying to get rid of it! Perhaps this is just the new normal....My husband and I cracked up reading your notice. |
| Oct 26, 2025 | Acronyms generally.. | I suggest always adding 'context' before using an acronym. Don't assume everyone automatically understands the acronym. |
| Oct 22, 2025 | anything related to 'Framework/Model/Theory ' | Personally, I feel like students get the grunt of the majority of framework/model/theory-related questions; otherwise, it'll be lecturers, tutors, and other academics working closely to students. As a social work student, unless I've done the research to answer said 'framework/model/theory-related question, I'm often speechless/clueless as to how to answer, because in practice, those frameworks, models and theories are not discussed to the same extent (rather, observed & passively, often in the background of all the actual work being done), unless you're working in the research and evaluation sector or education and teaching professions. |
| Oct 21, 2025 | acronymns | If you you're not up to speed then you're in the dark. It shits me! |
| Oct 9, 2025 | Capacity | It doesn't offer a clear explanation on what it is - and is used in the positive "build capacity" and negative "no capacity" the term is ambiguous and can mean, time, space, room etc. Let drop this jargon! |
| Sep 17, 2025 | asymptomatic | As a health professional I understand that this means "without symptoms", but for my partner who doesn't have a health background and for whom English is not his first language, it meant that you have "a symptom". Imagine how different the Covid-19 health information sounded once he learnt that? I often wonder how many other people still don't understand this term, and who have been following an entirely differently set of Covid safety rules as a result (ie, "stay home if you have symptoms, but you can leave the house if you have a (one) symptom".) |
| Sep 16, 2025 | Jargon and Pledge | “Jargon” is itself a jargon word. It’s not something most people use in everyday conversation. If we’re trying to promote clarity, we should use simpler terms like complicated words or technical terms. “Pledge” sounds formal and can feel out of place in a health or care setting. Make a promise is clearer and more relatable. If we want people to understand and engage, we need to use language that’s familiar and easy to act on. |
| Sep 4, 2025 | euphemism | euphemism feels like a euphemism and i dont like euphemisms |
| Sep 1, 2025 | Analytical Commentary | It makes me mad, Just say point quote comment 100 times |
| Aug 21, 2025 | EOM | Always leaves me second guessing... End of Month? End of Monday? End of Message? Let's leave the end of our messages blank - no need to reiterate. |
| Jun 10, 2025 | acute | can be easily replaced with "short term diagnosis" in medical contexts to be more understandable towards patients |
| Feb 3, 2025 | Textbook | Consumers don’t understand therefore optimum health outcomes are reduced |
| Nov 4, 2024 | intertwine | The word is ENTWINE |
| Oct 23, 2024 | piece | It just irks me. |
| Oct 20, 2024 | SOB | Duplicate meanings Short of Breath Sit out Bed |
| Oct 18, 2024 | personality disorder | Are you saying they are a broken person? This is a stigmatising and judgemental diagnosis, like so many other clinical terms used to describe neurodiversity and social/relationship challenges. |
| Oct 18, 2024 | "under the Act" | This term is used in mental health to justify services that compromise a consumer's rights. A clinician can state anything is "under the Act" without specifying what the intervention is and how specifically it is covered by the Act. Has the clinician actually read the Act, and do they know which part of the Act they are referring to, and can they be sure their decision is actually legal or according to the principles of the Act? Have they referred to the outcomes and findings of the Mental Health Royal Commission in Victoria? |
| Oct 17, 2024 | BAU | Business As Usual just an unnecessary pompous sounding term |
| Oct 17, 2024 | Passed away | as a healthcare worker we use medical terminology in most other settings! |
| Oct 1, 2024 | Accommodation | Because it means different things and it is easy to replace with 'house' or 'flat' |
| Feb 13, 2024 | jargon | cause i think it's spelt wrong |
| Jan 10, 2024 | CHIP list | no one knows what the exact acronym wording is... but we know it's a patient booked for double-operator complex high risk percutaneous coronary intervention. It just sounds silly! |
| Oct 25, 2023 | F2F - Face to face | Many text messaging abbreviations are coming into Health documentation . For clear and concise sharing of information , health documentation must be clear and concise. |
| Oct 24, 2023 | strategic plan | Why not 'plan'. Who would have an unstrategic plan? |
| Oct 24, 2023 | active consideration | As opposed to inactive consideration? just say consideration |
| Oct 23, 2023 | Pivot | This term may have had value during the pandemic but it is way over-used now. I'd suggest change, redirect, reconsider, divert, do things differently. |
| Oct 23, 2023 | Value-add | It's wring English. Why not just say, adding value? |
| Oct 23, 2023 | Clients | Makes patients seem like a commercial proposition. Or maybe that's the whole point. |
| Oct 23, 2023 | Ballpark | Another American term which doesn't mean much elsewhere. |
| Oct 20, 2023 | Elephant in the room | Where do these terms even originate? What elephant? Which room? Just say 'the real problem is...' |
| Oct 20, 2023 | Touch base | If you are not American on don't understand baseball, it has a totally different connotation. Trash it. |
| Oct 19, 2023 | DEFCON 5 | All these military terms like DEFCON, HUMINT or CODE ORANGE which have crept into our daily lives need to be banned immediately. In the army they mean something. Running out of crisps is NOT a Code Red situation. |
| Oct 19, 2023 | Content | Everything is 'content' now. It's a word which has democratised all art form. Anything written, painted or composed is 'content'. Shakespeare is content. Da Vinci is content. Mozart is content. Content begone! |
| Oct 19, 2023 | Dorsal | It literally means back portion of the body. Why not say that instead of dorsal, especially when talking to patients who have never been to medical school? Nobody ever says 'my dorsal is killing me.' |
| Oct 15, 2023 | Build the plane why flying it | stupid analogy to something that in reality can't be done |
| Sep 19, 2023 | Consumers | Because we are PEOPLE. Consumer gives the idea that I have had a choice in the services I 'consume'. How about 'person', 'people' or 'families' that access our service, or who have a lived experience. |
| Sep 19, 2023 | AO's | Because no-one outside of the government understands that means Administration Officers |
| Sep 19, 2023 | PRN | PRN - medication to be taken as required.... not helpful for mental health patients and no one can ever tell you what PRN actually stands for. |
| Aug 9, 2023 | superficial | It has a different meaning in plain English than in medical English, but doctors forget that |
| Feb 10, 2023 | HRT - Humam Resources Team | It also stands for hormone replacement therapy and is at times very embarrassing. |
| Dec 19, 2022 | IX | For instance, if your blinds have severe discolouration that does not go away with maintenance, or when the slats of your blinds have holes or harm. |
| Nov 6, 2022 | Dyspnea | I can't even work out how to say it |
| Nov 1, 2022 | Game Changer | Over used. |
| Oct 27, 2022 | Stand Up Meeting | Some of us can't stand up |
| Oct 26, 2022 | "Effectuate". As in: "We need to effectuate a change". | Used by jargonists who seem to feel that simple, precise terminology is too revealing of their own simplicity. |
| Oct 26, 2022 | "Normalcy" | Whatever happened to good old "normality" ? |
| Oct 26, 2022 | "Unarrive". As in: "Pt has unarrived clinic." | Believe it or not, this piece of astonishingly inept Americlish has begun to enter usage in GP clinic admin software, no doubt spurred on by the equally American notion of "Unfriending" people on Facebook. Please don't allow it to take hold here! |
| Oct 25, 2022 | integumentary | such a freaking long word, a tongue twister meaning skin |
| Oct 24, 2022 | Acopic (A-Cope-Ick) | Meaning "Not coping, not tolerating well". Very frustrating because it makes a negative assumption about the patient that they are only presenting due to difficulty coping and not because they are actually unwell or needing assistance. It labels the patient before they can be thoroughly assessed and its stigmatising them to be the "anxious type" or "hyperchondriac". |
| Oct 21, 2022 | Do some heavy lifting | Pompous and self-indulgent |
| Oct 20, 2022 | "Lean in" | Don't we address / discuss / come together to find solutions - I'm over leaning in!! |
| Oct 20, 2022 | Where the rubber meets the road | Consultant speak. Blah |
| Oct 20, 2022 | Take it offline | It reeks of a person on a power trip |
| Oct 18, 2022 | "If you need more information Reach Out" - whaaaat!!!! | What happened to, "if you need more information, please contact me/us" or "if you need further assistance, please contact me/us". What's with this "reach out" nonsense! |
| Oct 18, 2022 | It's not specifically a jargon term that annoys me, it's the increased use of acronyms. | What the heck do some of these acronyms mean!!!!! STOP using acronyms that often only relate to your field/area of work, just speak plain English so we know what you mean and we can stop pretending we know what you mean. |
| Oct 14, 2022 | To talk up something (e.g. in sales) | You cannot translate that without at least using 5 more other words in Languages Other Than English. |
| Oct 10, 2022 | Elderly primigravida | Just say 'older first-time mum' please! Not only will your patients know what you are talking about, they also won't have to deal with the shock of being called 'elderly' in their late-30s. |
| Oct 10, 2022 | evidence-based practice | because it means nothing to clients who just want a service |
| Oct 5, 2022 | Capacity Building | Because capacity means take more on, not learn more skills. |
| Sep 27, 2022 | Town hall meeting | Yep! It's the latest management jargon in the community sector imported from the USA. Initially we all thought the meeting was being held in a town hall - which was super confusing as... what's the occasion, it's not book launch or concert. You get the gist! Turns out it's just a jargonistic term from management for a ...... staff meeting. Yep boring old staff meeting. Hilarious. |
| Sep 20, 2022 | intersectional | Unless people are going to actually unpack what this term means on a day to day basis and use language that is more accessible, this term alienates. It is often used by people who want to come across as progressive and really 'with it' but don't really understand what it means and how it's part of the social justice movement. |
| Aug 2, 2022 | acronyms | Because many of them are not even familiar to nurses. They are coined by individuals and are not necessarily of common use. We need to remember about 6 out of 10 people in Australia have low or poor health literacy. |
| Mar 17, 2022 | Dyspnoea | People struggle to pronounce this term, let alone know what it means. Why not say 'distress with breathing' or 'uncomfortable breathing' or 'breathing discomfort' |
| Oct 26, 2021 | Someone used C suite recently in an add recruiting a health job | What is that Caesaraian section suite at a hospital, some new hospital department? NO....apparently it relates to executive positions, senior management....ie. CEO/ CFO/ CIO/COO.....more jargon ! Don't like it as it has an elitist feels about it Senior management team/ executive team I understand |
| Oct 25, 2021 | Flesh it out | I imagine skin being rolled out like dough |
| Oct 21, 2021 | It is What It Is | It is often said to avoid discussion or really expressing how you really feel |
| Oct 20, 2021 | binary | not in regular use |
| Oct 19, 2021 | cognitive | It's just a difficult word to understand. |
| Oct 19, 2021 | asymptomatic | As a health professional I understand that this means "without symptoms", but for my partner who doesn't have a health background and for whom English is not his first language, it meant that you have "a symptom". Imagine how different the Covid-19 health information sounded once he learnt that? I often wonder how many other people still don't understand this term, and who have been following an entirely differently set of Covid safety rules as a result (ie, "stay home if you have symptoms, but you can leave the house if you have a (one) symptom".) |
| Oct 18, 2021 | Anything that is reduced to an acronym | Acronyms are usually only understood by ‘inner circles’ so their use should be limited appropriately. |
| Oct 14, 2021 | Cohort | We should clearly identify who we are talking about, rather than referring to a non-descriptive 'cohort'. |
| Oct 14, 2021 | CALD | Aren't we all Culturally and Linguistically Diverse People? And who isn't the 'CALD' when we are delivering services and what to we call them? What/who is the Mainstream? It (may) creates an Us and Them binary polarity or opposition. |
| Apr 8, 2021 | sciatica | Because it means different things to everyone! |
| Oct 27, 2020 | frequent presenter (say to the EmergcenY Department-ED). | Not good use of words, it's more of a label for a patient. Better to write, 'client has represented to ED with...………….'. |
| Oct 27, 2020 | non compliant | Because what should be written is 'client has difficulties with......' Staff need to write what they mean. |
| Oct 27, 2020 | non compliant | Because what should be written is 'client has difficulties with......' Staff need to write what they mean. |
| Oct 26, 2020 | People using US slang and spelling | We're in Australia. We were influenced by the UK. |
| Oct 20, 2020 | Moving forward | Over used term that i am not sure that everyone understands the meaning. Some might think moving to where?. In work discussion or meetings, it means to move to next topic or item of discussion now without delay. |
| Oct 20, 2020 | CALD | Not using the CALD acronym shows respect to culturally diverse individuals and communities and gives people and communities agency and appreciates their diversity and positive contributions to society. |
| Oct 20, 2020 | furlough | Unknown word- new term |
| Oct 20, 2020 | 24/7 | Too American |
| Oct 19, 2020 | TLA | Three Letter Acronym (it's an acronym for all the acronyms!) |
| Oct 19, 2020 | Environmental scan | This is used when an organisation researches what's happening in relation to something they are planning something. It sounds like some kind of robot with a laser scanning for something it wants to kill... |
| Oct 15, 2020 | SIT; SCIRT; SACS; CTS; NITH; NOAH; RUSON; SIMON; AIDET; HIS; CDM; | Some I don't understand or know about and others need to be called what they are. |
| Oct 15, 2020 | sub-optimal | Its a weasel word, a mealy-mouthed euphemism for "we stuffed up" Passive language like that always sends my BS detector meter into a spin |
| Oct 14, 2020 | COB | Makes me think of a cob loaf not close of business! Why can't we just say the end of the day or end of the work day |
| Oct 13, 2020 | Leaning in | It is supposed to mean that we are working together and supporting one another - why not just say lets work together and be supportive!!! |
| Oct 13, 2020 | chronic | Because the general community do not understand it, I have heard it used as a substitute as bad eg I have asthma, it's chronic, they don't mean its an ongoing, always there condition, they mean its really bad. And then we here about health professionals, govt talking about chronic conditions - what do they general public think this means - really bad conditions. Oh mine is not that bad... |
| Oct 7, 2020 | consumer | it dehumanises people |
| Oct 7, 2020 | non-binary | Not something in mainstream use yet |
| Sep 21, 2020 | AOD | Not even GPs understand the acronym for Alcohol and other drugs. I have seen websites for community health where "AOD programs" is used rather than "Help with drugs and alcohol" |
| Sep 15, 2020 | onboarding | I know it's a common HR term but it sounds too much like waterboarding - a torture technique - for my liking. Can't we use orientation instead? |
| Aug 20, 2020 | neoplasm | they wont understand, I too don't understand sometimes |
| Aug 13, 2020 | Gaming | "Gaming" refers to playing games, either online or in real life. It is not "gambling" and should not be used as a weasel word to make gambling seem nicer or less threatening. Especially by governments. "Minister for Gaming"? Really? How about "Minister For Exploitation"? |
| Aug 13, 2020 | BOM | During the height of last horrific Bush-fire season, a Senior Emergency person came forward and announced that he had just checked the "BOM" site. Anybody hearing that referral to the Weather Report could have assumed he was talking about a bomb attack adding to the already horrible unfolding disaster. I have a long list - DOCS, FACS, HSIE, COAG, DFAT, ACT, ADF, PDHPE, medical positive/negative results. Then there's the bonkers term "NEAR-MISS" . Need I explain? Well - I suffered a genuine "near-miss" recently when a driver "rear-ended" or crashed into my car and managed to "write-it-off". THAT WAS A NEAR-MISS, as far as I'm concerned. I'm still chasing him - the bastard drove off! |
| Jul 23, 2020 | On boarding | This is what you do to introduce new people to your organisation apparently. Is it like water-boarding? |
| Jul 23, 2020 | Convo | A conversation is a discussion between rational people It’s not a Convo. |
| Jul 23, 2020 | Peeps | We are people not peeps |
| Jul 21, 2020 | unprecedented | Heard so often |
| Jun 3, 2020 | RDP | IT specific abbreviation that users may not know or understand. RDP stands for Remote Desktop Protocol and is a Microsoft software to access workplaces remotely. |
| May 22, 2020 | online | During the era of Windows 95, doing things "online" was a new thing. Now in the 21st century, most people understand many activities can be done using the internet. An online webinar, or an online form are just the worst examples! |
| May 12, 2020 | PBS | I've worked at a pharmacy to 2 years and I still don't know what it means let alone be able to explain it to customers. |
| Nov 8, 2019 | Consumers | Consumers are people. They don't eat services or clinicians! What is wrong with calling them people and preferably by their actual name??? |
| Nov 8, 2019 | Carers | We are people first. We are mothers, sisters, brothers, fathers, and friends. Caring is a bi-product of our relationship with the person. |
| Oct 29, 2019 | Touching base | not direct, vague, should be discuss, meet, talk, telephone call etc. |
| Oct 22, 2019 | People with a disability speaking for themselves | People with a disability or mental illness should be able to speak for themselves. Medical staff, community services, local governments, families and cares should become aware of when it is good to advocate and when it is great to let people use their voices. |
| Oct 21, 2019 | Brain Storming | Brain Storming is a commonly used term use in Australia for meetings. On the 20th of June 2008 City Councils in UK banned the use of this word as "Brain Storming" is a term associated and a symptom of a specific neurological disease. |
| Oct 21, 2019 | A bit on the Spectrum | saying that a child or adult is a bit on the spectrum? People are either autistic or they are not. |
| Oct 21, 2019 | When jargon keeps changing | I can't keep up with changes and even if I wanted to tell my clients I don't know what it is. Or what acronyms are? |
| Oct 21, 2019 | compliant | It's disempowering for the person you are working with, it removes choice, and is autocratic. Primary and community health workers are not enforcers and have no reason to use this term. |
| Oct 19, 2019 | Stakeholders | Because people holding stakes usually also hold a hammer. When talking about health or public services we hold people in our hands not stakes |
| Oct 17, 2019 | Using the word - Agency | It is not used in everyday conversations about making choices and decisions as it was used in a talk about managing self care. Agency for most people is a word that describes a building, business or organization. Lets drop using this word! |
| Oct 11, 2019 | Quorum | it's totally outdated and old fashioned - can we not just agree that we have enough committee members present?!! |
| Oct 8, 2019 | tachycardia | A patient will understand "fast heart reate" more quickly - why say tachycardia then have to explain what it is? |
| Oct 8, 2019 | hypertension | Just tell a patient they have high blood pressure - many don't understand the word. |
| Sep 30, 2019 | Discharged against medical advice | Judgemental, does not allow for an individual's right to leave hospital, and may have very valid reasons for doing so. |
| Sep 10, 2019 | pedagogy | cos it just means teaching method, it is a stupid word |
| Sep 9, 2019 | mechanical fall | ALL falls are 'mechanical' and should have the causal factors identified! |
| Sep 9, 2019 | acopia | Because it is: - not a diagnosis - negative and devaluing - distracting from the real, and often multi-factorial, reasons why a person may be struggling to manage at home, including underlying medical issues |
Why should I pledge?
6 out of 10 of people in Australia have low health literacy.
Many Australians have trouble understanding and using information provided by organisations. They also have trouble navigating complicated systems like healthcare services.
When we use jargon, technical terms or acronyms, it is hard for people with low health literacy to understand and use information.
Pledge and take part in activities at your workplace. Make it easy for people with low health literacy to get better information and outcomes from services they use.
Drop the Jargon
131 signatures Goal: 200
0
200
Pledge to Drop the Jargon
- Use plain language in all communication – with other staff and with clients
- Not use acronyms
- Explain medical and other technical terminology
- Check that information has been understood by your clients
- Work with a professional interpreter when your clients have low English proficiency
- Politely point out when your colleagues use jargon