Corporate Jargon Clarity Index
Clear breaks down workplace jargon by directness, specificity, tone safety, and async clarity so teams can replace soft shorthand with messages that actually land.
Featured
These entries have the lowest clarity scores across the whole index.
Rightsize scores 2/10 for clarity. It sounds tidy, but it often hides whether the real change is cost cutting, role elimination, or a smaller plan. Here are 3 sharper alternatives.
Read entryRightsizing scores 2/10 for clarity. It sounds measured, but it usually hides the concrete impact that people are trying to understand first. Here are 3 sharper alternatives.
Read entryIn Due Course scores 2.5/10 for clarity. It postpones the answer without telling the reader whether later means today, next month, or never. Here are 3 sharper alternatives.
Read entryMove Fast and Break Things scores 2.5/10 for clarity. It sounds bold, but it blurs which risks are acceptable, which systems cannot break, and who pays the price for the speed. Here are 3 sharper alternatives.
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Some phrases hide a decision. Some soften a deadline. Some just make a simple sentence sound more corporate than it needs to.
Soft coordination language that often hides a real decision, owner, or next step.
Phrases that blur effort, ownership, or what a team can realistically take on.
Common shorthand that can read colder, sharper, or more dismissive than the sender intends.
Ambitious language that sounds directional or impressive, but often hides the operating change underneath it.
Courteous-sounding phrases that often blur urgency, ownership, or whether the answer is really yes, no, or later.
Project shorthand that can be useful, but only once the owner, scope, or next action is made explicit.
Language that softens cuts or structural change while making the actual impact harder to read.
Compressed deadline language that hides day, time, timezone, or urgency.
Task-oriented words that sound actionable but still leave the recipient guessing.
Archive
Lowest scores first, because the most confusing phrases are usually the ones teams want decoded fastest.
Rightsize
to reduce or adjust something so it matches a target level
Rightsizing
adjusting resources to a smaller or more efficient level
In Due Course
at some later time, after other steps happen first
Move Fast and Break Things
prioritize speed even if mistakes or disruption happen
Back Burner
something deprioritized for now
Restructuring
changing how a team or company is organized
Table This
to pause a topic and return to it later
Per My Last Email
as stated in my previous email
Paradigm Shift
a major change in how something is approached or understood
Circle Back
to return to a topic later
Just Checking In
following up or asking for an update
Run It Up the Flagpole
to float an idea for reaction from more senior people
Synergy
combined value created by people or teams working together
Touch Base
to connect briefly with someone
EOW
Alignment
shared understanding or agreement on a plan
Blue Sky Thinking
generating ideas without normal constraints
On My Radar
something a person is aware of and keeping in mind
Take This Offline
move a conversation out of the current group or thread
Move the Needle
to make a meaningful impact
Going Forward
from now on
ASAP
as soon as possible
At Your Earliest Convenience
as soon as you are reasonably able to do it
When You Get a Chance
when you have a free moment to do it
Low Hanging Fruit
an easy opportunity with relatively high payoff
As Discussed
as we already talked about
As Per Our Conversation
based on what we already discussed
EOD
end of day
Learnings
lessons or takeaways from an experience
Value Added
something that makes an offer more useful or worthwhile
COB
close of business
Bandwidth
available capacity to take on work
Boil the Ocean
to try to solve too much at once
Best Practice
a commonly recommended way of doing something
Check In
to ask for a quick update or reconnect on a topic
Double Click
to go deeper into one point or idea
Ideate
to generate ideas together
Pivot
to change direction, approach, or priority
Catch Up
to reconnect or talk through recent updates
Leverage
to use something in a way that creates more effect
Sync Up
to align or compare notes
Loop In
to include someone in a conversation or workflow
Buy-In
support or agreement from the people who need to back a plan
Deliverable
an output someone is expected to produce
No Worries
that is fine; do not stress about it
Stakeholders
people affected by a decision or responsible for part of it
Swimlane
a distinct track of work or ownership inside a process
Tiger Team
a small group assigned to solve a specific urgent problem
Follow Up
to continue with the next step after an earlier message
Ping
to message, notify, or contact someone
Deep Dive
a detailed review of a topic
Drill Down
to examine something in more detail
Granular
detailed enough to show smaller parts clearly
Pain Point
a recurring problem or source of friction
Roadmap
a plan showing intended work over time
Unpack
to break an idea or issue into clearer parts
Wheelhouse
an area where someone is especially comfortable or capable
Action Item
a task that someone needs to complete
Ship It
release or publish the work as it is
Scope Creep
work expanding beyond the original plan
Blocker
something preventing work from moving forward
How it works
The score is based on directness, specificity, tone safety, and async clarity so you can see why a phrase feels vague instead of just being told that it does.
Does the phrase say what the sender actually wants, or does it force the reader to infer the ask?
Does it include the time, owner, or outcome needed to act without a follow-up question?
How likely is it to sound passive-aggressive, condescending, or emotionally loaded in text?
Does the meaning hold up in Slack or email without vocal tone, live context, or instant clarification?
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