Useful English Word or Phrase to Boost Your English: Gobbledygook

What does it mean?

Gobbledygook refers to wordy, complex, jargon-filled language that is difficult or impossible to understand.

Is it positive or negative?

It is strongly negative — used to criticise writing or speech that is overly complicated.

When do you use it?

Use it when describing official documents, technical instructions, or corporate emails that make no sense because of unnecessary jargon.

Examples

Example 1: “This report is full of management gobbledygook — please rewrite it clearly.”

Example 2: “The tax instructions were pure gobbledygook to me.”

Question for you

What type of documents feel like gobbledygook to you?

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