gobbledegook: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, often humorous or critical
Quick answer
What does “gobbledegook” mean?
Language that is meaningless or is deliberately obscure and difficult to understand, especially bureaucratic or technical jargon.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Language that is meaningless or is deliberately obscure and difficult to understand, especially bureaucratic or technical jargon.
Nonsensical, confusing, or pretentious language, often used to impress, confuse, or obscure the truth.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. 'Gobbledegook' and 'gobbledygook' are both used in both varieties, though 'gobbledygook' is the more common spelling globally.
Connotations
Identical. Both imply pretentious nonsense.
Frequency
Low-to-medium frequency in both. Slightly more common in political and media commentary.
Grammar
How to Use “gobbledegook” in a Sentence
[Subject] is/contains/speaks/writes (nothing but) gobbledegook.Cut through the gobbledegook.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “gobbledegook” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The consultant just gobbledegooked his way through the presentation, confusing everyone.
- Politicians often gobbledegook when asked a direct question.
American English
- The manual is so badly written, it just gobbledygooks the simple process.
- He gobbledygooked the financial report to hide the losses.
adverb
British English
- The report was written so gobbledegookly that no one could action it.
- He spoke gobbledegookly, hoping we wouldn't notice the lack of a plan.
American English
- The policy is gobbledygookly complex.
- She explained it gobbledygookly, using every acronym in the book.
adjective
British English
- It was a typically gobbledegook response from the council.
- We need a translator for this gobbledegook legalese.
American English
- The contract's gobbledygook language made us hire a lawyer.
- His explanation was utterly gobbledygook.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to criticise impenetrable corporate strategy documents or vague mission statements.
Academic
Critiques overly complex, obscure theoretical writing that lacks clear meaning.
Everyday
Used humorously to describe confusing instructions (e.g., for assembling furniture) or baffling official letters.
Technical
The word itself is used to criticise other technical writing that is unnecessarily opaque.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “gobbledegook”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “gobbledegook”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gobbledegook”
- Misspelling: 'gobbledygook' is equally correct, but 'gobbledegook' is a common variant. 'Gobbletygook' is incorrect.
- Using it to describe simple lies or falsehoods; it specifically refers to the *form* of language, not its truth value.
- Overusing in formal writing, as it is an informal, critical term.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Jargon is specialist terminology for a field, which can be useful for precise communication within that field. Gobbledegook is jargon (or any language) that has become unnecessarily convoluted, obscure, and meaningless, especially to outsiders.
Both are correct and found in major dictionaries. 'Gobbledygook' is the original and more frequent spelling, but 'gobbledegook' is a common variant.
Almost never. It is a critically pejorative term. Using it positively would be highly ironic or sarcastic.
It was coined in the 1940s by US Congressman Maury Maverick, who likened the obscure jargon of bureaucracy to the senseless gobbling of turkeys.
Language that is meaningless or is deliberately obscure and difficult to understand, especially bureaucratic or technical jargon.
Gobbledegook is usually informal, often humorous or critical in register.
Gobbledegook: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡɒb.əl.diˈɡuːk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡɑː.bəl.diˈɡʊk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Cut through the gobbledegook”
- “A load of old gobbledegook”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a turkey (a GOBBLER) trying to speak sophisticated language — it would just produce silly, noisy 'gobble-de-gook'.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPERMEABLE SUBSTANCE (a wall of nonsense), DECEPTIVE CLOTHING (language dressing up simple ideas as complex), VERBAL SMOKESCREEN.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the use of 'gobbledegook' MOST appropriate?