What does “to flag” mean?

“to flag” means to bring a problem to someone's attention so that it is not missed. Pronounced /ˈflæg/. Close synonyms: raise, point out, highlight. For example: I want to flag a risk on the vendor contract before we commit to the date.

What does “to surface” mean?

“to surface” means to make a hidden problem or question visible to the whole group. Pronounced /ˈsɜrfəs/. Close synonyms: raise, bring up, expose. For example: Thanks for surfacing this early; we can fix the pricing table before the client sees it.

What does “dependency” mean?

“dependency” means a task or team whose work must finish before your own can start. Pronounced /dɪˈpɛndənsi/. Close synonyms: prerequisite, requirement, precondition. For example: The report has one dependency: we cannot start testing until the data migration finishes.

What does “to placate” mean?

“to placate” means make someone less angry by giving them something they want. Pronounced /ˈpleɪkeɪt/. It is formal. Close synonyms: pacify, appease, calm down. For example: We placated the client with a partial refund and a named contact for the next release.

What does “slippage” mean?

“slippage” means the amount of delay between the planned date and the real one. Pronounced /ˈslɪpɪdʒ/. It is formal. Close synonyms: delay, drift, lateness. For example: We are reporting two weeks of slippage on testing and no change to the final date.

What does “visibility” mean?

“visibility” means how clearly other people can see what is happening inside a piece of work. Pronounced /ˌvɪzəˈbɪləti/. Close synonyms: transparency, insight, awareness. For example: Leadership wants more visibility into spending, so we will send a short weekly summary.

← Back to Public Decks · English Decks · English vocabulary test

English C1 — Professional Communication Official

Precise professional English at C1, defined in English. Words for reporting, persuading, hedging, conceding and pushing back without giving offence, each with an English definition, IPA, synonyms and a usage note on the tone the word carries in a real workplace.

CEFR C1 — Advanced

At this level you can use language flexibly, understand implicit meaning, work in target language. Vocabulary: ~6,000 words (cumulative).

Words in this deck

What does “to flag” mean?: “to flag” means to bring a problem to someone's attention so that it is not missed. Pronounced /ˈflæg/. Close synonyms: raise, point out, highlight. For example: I want to flag a risk on the vendor contract before we commit to the date.
What does “to surface” mean?: “to surface” means to make a hidden problem or question visible to the whole group. Pronounced /ˈsɜrfəs/. Close synonyms: raise, bring up, expose. For example: Thanks for surfacing this early; we can fix the pricing table before the client sees it.
What does “dependency” mean?: “dependency” means a task or team whose work must finish before your own can start. Pronounced /dɪˈpɛndənsi/. Close synonyms: prerequisite, requirement, precondition. For example: The report has one dependency: we cannot start testing until the data migration finishes.
What does “to placate” mean?: “to placate” means make someone less angry by giving them something they want. Pronounced /ˈpleɪkeɪt/. It is formal. Close synonyms: pacify, appease, calm down. For example: We placated the client with a partial refund and a named contact for the next release.
What does “slippage” mean?: “slippage” means the amount of delay between the planned date and the real one. Pronounced /ˈslɪpɪdʒ/. It is formal. Close synonyms: delay, drift, lateness. For example: We are reporting two weeks of slippage on testing and no change to the final date.
What does “visibility” mean?: “visibility” means how clearly other people can see what is happening inside a piece of work. Pronounced /ˌvɪzəˈbɪləti/. Close synonyms: transparency, insight, awareness. For example: Leadership wants more visibility into spending, so we will send a short weekly summary.

English · definitions in English 201 words ~21 days at 10 words/day 0 downloads C1

No ratings No ratings by admin@wordsonrepeat.com Sep 29, 2026

Try studying — no account needed

A real study session, right now. No signup.

Report issue with this deck

Word List — click grammar notes to expand

Word	Translation	Example
to flagneutral /ˈflæg/ to bring a problem to someone's attention so that it is not missed Synonyms: raise, point out, highlight	point out; mark for attention	I want to flag a risk on the vendor contract before we commit to the date.
You flag something to someone, or flag it for review. It is deliberately neutral: flagging names a risk without blaming anyone and without demanding action, which is why it is safe in writing to senior people. 'Flag up' is British; American English drops the 'up'.
to surfaceneutral /ˈsɜrfəs/ to make a hidden problem or question visible to the whole group Synonyms: raise, bring up, expose	bring into the open	Thanks for surfacing this early; we can fix the pricing table before the client sees it.
It carries no blame at all and often comes with thanks, so it is the softest way to say that someone has found a problem: you surface an issue, a question or a concern. Common in technology and consulting, still jargon elsewhere.
dependencyneutral /dɪˈpɛndənsi/ a task or team whose work must finish before your own can start Synonyms: prerequisite, requirement, precondition	something you must wait for	The report has one dependency: we cannot start testing until the data migration finishes.
'We have a dependency on your team' politely says that your team can delay us. In project talk it means a link between pieces of work, not a person's reliance on something. You depend on something but you have a dependency on it.
to placateformal /ˈpleɪkeɪt/ make someone less angry by giving them something they want Synonyms: pacify, appease, calm down	calm an angry person	We placated the client with a partial refund and a named contact for the next release.
It buys quiet rather than agreement, so describing your own concession as placating somebody admits that nothing underneath was solved. Transitive: placate a customer, a critic, a board. The adjective placatory describes a tone rather than an act.
slippageformal /ˈslɪpɪdʒ/ the amount of delay between the planned date and the real one Synonyms: delay, drift, lateness	delay against the plan	We are reporting two weeks of slippage on testing and no change to the final date.
The written, neutral form of bad news: it suits a report to senior people where 'we are late' would sound alarming, and like 'slip' it never names who caused the delay. Measured in time: some slippage, two weeks of slippage.
visibilityneutral /ˌvɪzəˈbɪləti/ how clearly other people can see what is happening inside a piece of work Synonyms: transparency, insight, awareness	how much others see	Leadership wants more visibility into spending, so we will send a short weekly summary.
'We need more visibility' usually means the current reporting is not trusted, said without accusing the person who writes it. It takes 'into': visibility into costs, into the pipeline, into risk. Jargon outside business writing.
to recapneutral /ˈrikæp/ to state again, in short, what has already been said or agreed Synonyms: summarize, review, restate	summarize briefly	To recap, we agreed on the smaller budget, and Dana will confirm the dates by Friday.
Also a noun: a quick recap. Opening with 'to recap' is a standard way to take back control of a meeting and put agreements on the record without seeming to correct anyone. The full form 'recapitulate' exists but sounds stiff in speech.
rundowninformal /ˈrʌnˌdaʊn/ a short spoken or written list of the main points of something Synonyms: summary, overview, briefing	a quick summary	Can you give me a quick rundown of where each account stands before the call?
It promises speed and informality, so it fits a colleague but sounds too casual for a client report, where 'summary' or 'overview' is better. You give or get a rundown of something. One word as a noun, two as the verb 'run down'.
to triageneutral /triˈɑʒ/ to look quickly at many problems and decide which to handle first Synonyms: prioritize, sort, rank	sort by urgency	Let's triage the open complaints this morning and answer only the ones risking a refund.
Also a noun, as in 'a triage meeting'. It admits openly that some items will not be handled at all, which makes it useful when a queue is too long to promise everything. Borrowed from emergency medicine, so it suits a crisis rather than routine planning.
escalationformal /ˌɛskəˈleɪʃən/ the act of passing a problem to someone more senior to decide or fix Synonyms: referral upward, elevation, formal complaint	taking it higher up	This is my third reminder, so I am treating the unpaid invoice as an escalation to your manager.
A real threat in practice: announcing an escalation tells the reader you no longer expect them to solve it. Use it only after asking plainly at least once, and say what the senior person should do. 'An escalation path' is the agreed calm route for this.
oversightneutral /ˈoʊvərˌsaɪt/ a small mistake caused by failing to notice something Synonyms: slip, omission, error	a careless small mistake	Leaving your name off the invitation was an oversight on my part, not a decision.
The word has two almost opposite senses: a careless omission, and supervision, as in 'regulatory oversight'. The first is a favorite in apologies because it admits the fault while denying intent, which is often what the reader needs. Only context separates them.
miscommunicationneutral /ˌmɪskəˌmjunəˈkeɪʃən/ a case where a message was sent or understood wrongly Synonyms: misunderstanding, mix-up, crossed wires	a failure to understand	There was a miscommunication about who would send the contract, and it sat unsigned for a week.
Almost always after 'there was', which deliberately leaves it with no author. It divides the fault between both sides, so it is what people write instead of saying who got it wrong; naming a person beside it undoes the whole effect.
lip serviceneutral /ˈlɪp ˌsɜrvɪs/ public agreement with something you then do nothing about Synonyms: empty agreement, token support, hollow words	agreement in words only	The policy gets lip service in every all-hands meeting and no budget in any quarter.
Uncountable, and almost always in pay lip service to something. It accuses somebody of pretending to agree, which is a heavier charge than saying they disagree, so keep it for a case you can show with dates and numbers.
to forecastneutral /ˈfɔrˌkæst/ to say what you expect a number or result to be later Synonyms: project, predict, estimate	predict a future figure	We forecast a small loss in the first quarter and a return to growth by summer.
Both 'forecast' and 'forecasted' are accepted past forms, with 'forecast' more usual in business writing. It works as a noun with the same stress. A forecast is a claim you will be measured against later, so it is softer than a promise but not free of consequence.
to faultneutral /ˈfɔlt/ find something wrong with what someone did Synonyms: criticize, find fault with, blame	find something to criticize	You cannot fault the effort; the plan itself was wrong from the first week.
It lives mostly in the negative, and cannot fault is one of the warmest things a reviewer ever says, since it concedes there is nothing left to attack. Fault somebody for something. At fault, by contrast, means responsible for the problem.
to itemizeformal /ˈaɪtəˌmaɪz/ to list each part of something separately, usually with its cost Synonyms: list separately, break down, detail	list piece by piece	Please itemize the consulting fees so we can see what the extra day actually covered.
Asking for an itemized invoice is a polite form of challenge: you question the total without saying that you doubt it. Used with a bill, an invoice or a list. British spelling is 'itemise'; American writing uses the z.
actionableneutral /ˈækʃənəbəl/ described clearly enough that someone can do something about it Synonyms: usable, practical, specific	clear enough to act on	The feedback was honest but not actionable: we still do not know which screen confused them.
Most common with feedback, advice, insight or data. Calling a comment 'not actionable' is a polite rejection: you accept that it was meant well while declining to act on it. A legal sense, meaning something you could be sued over, survives in formal writing.
stopgapneutral /ˈstɑpˌgæp/ something used for a short time until a proper solution is ready Synonyms: temporary measure, interim fix, makeshift	a short-term measure	Hiring a contractor is a stopgap until the new analyst starts in September.
Calling your own plan a stopgap protects you from being held to it later, since you have said in advance that it is not the answer. Often before a noun: a stopgap measure, a stopgap solution. Neutral, unlike the careless-sounding 'quick fix'.
placeholderneutral /ˈpleɪsˌhoʊldər/ something put in a document or calendar until the real item exists Synonyms: temporary entry, stand-in, marker	temporary stand-in	I put a placeholder in your calendar for Tuesday; move it if the client changes the time.
In meeting invitations it is a courtesy that says the time is not yet fixed, so nobody should treat it as a commitment; calling a number a placeholder warns the reader not to quote it anywhere. You put in or send a placeholder.
to deprioritizeneutral /ˌdipraɪˈɔrəˌtaɪz/ to decide that something matters less and will have to wait Synonyms: postpone, downgrade, shelve	move down the list	We deprioritized the mobile design so the two of us could finish the payment work.
Honest in a way that 'we will get to it' is not: the work stays on the list but has been moved down deliberately. Kinder than 'cancel' and far clearer than silence. Both 'deprioritize' and 'de-prioritize' are accepted spellings.
handoffneutral /ˈhændˌɔf/ the moment when responsibility for work moves to another person Synonyms: transfer, handover, transition	passing work to someone	The handoff to support went badly because nobody wrote down the open questions.
Naming the handoff as the problem blames the gap between two teams rather than either team itself, which is why reviews reach for it. One word as the noun, two as the verb: you hand off a project to someone. British English says 'handover'.
deep diveinformal /ˈdip ˈdaɪv/ a long, detailed look at one subject rather than a quick summary Synonyms: detailed review, close examination, thorough study	a detailed examination	Let's leave the details today and do a deep dive on pricing next week.
In meetings it is often a polite way to postpone a hard subject rather than a real promise of study, so pin a date to it. You do or run a deep dive on, or into, a topic. Standard corporate jargon; formal writing is safer with 'detailed review'.
rolloutneutral /ˈroʊlˌaʊt/ the process of making something new available to people, often in stages Synonyms: launch, release, introduction	a staged release	The rollout starts with one office in March and reaches everyone by the end of June.
Saying 'phased rollout' reassures a nervous audience that any mistake would reach only a few people, while a full rollout reaches everyone at once. One word as the noun, two as the verb 'roll out'.
to urgeformal /ˈɜrdʒ/ to advise someone very strongly to do something Synonyms: press, strongly advise, push	strongly advise	I would urge the board to decide this month, since prices rise again in April.
Frames: urge someone to do something, or urge that a step be taken. It sits high on the ladder suggest, recommend, urge, insist, showing real concern and making refusal feel risky. From a junior person to a senior one it can sound presumptuous.
adamantneutral /ˈædəmənt/ very sure about something and refusing to change your mind Synonyms: insistent, unyielding, immovable	completely unwilling to change	The client was adamant about the fixed price and would not discuss extra fees.
Adamant about or on something, or adamant that something should happen. It marks the end of the road that runs from suggest to recommend to urge: a person who is adamant has stopped negotiating. Of yourself it sounds inflexible, so it usually reports someone else.
to badgerinformal /ˈbædʒər/ keep asking someone for something until they are irritated Synonyms: keep pressing, harass, chase relentlessly	keep asking until it annoys	I badgered the supplier for a date every morning until one finally arrived.
The word judges the asking as excessive, so you use it about your own chasing only as a joke and about somebody else's as a complaint. Badger somebody for something, or badger them to do it. Following up is the same act described neutrally.
to championneutral /ˈtʃæmpiən/ to support an idea or person openly and with energy over time Synonyms: back, promote, support	publicly support	She championed the new hiring process for a year before anyone else defended it.
It suggests visible, lasting support with your own reputation attached, which is far stronger than simply agreeing: you champion a cause, a plan or a person. In business 'an executive champion' is the senior person who carries a project politically.
to lobbyneutral /ˈlɑbi/ to try over time to persuade people with power to make a decision Synonyms: campaign, push, press	campaign to influence	Two directors lobbied for extra funding all spring, and the budget finally grew.
You lobby someone, or lobby for something. It implies working on people privately rather than arguing in the meeting: said of your own side it sounds diligent, said of the other side it hints at politics. The b doubles: lobbied, lobbying.
meritformal /ˈmɛrɪt/ the quality in something that makes it worth choosing or accepting Synonyms: value, worth, strength	value; worth considering	The proposal has merit, but the timing means we cannot take it on this quarter.
'It has merit, but…' is standard polite rejection: you grant the idea value and refuse it anyway. Uncountable for worth ('there is merit in waiting'), countable in 'the merits of each option'. 'On the merits' means judged by the facts alone.
cordialformal /ˈkɔrdʒəl/ polite and friendly in a formal, slightly distant way Synonyms: civil, amicable, courteous	polite but not warm	Relations with the supplier stayed cordial through the dispute, which is why we could restart.
Praise with a limit built into it: cordial relations are working relations with no warmth claimed, which is exactly what you want to report after an argument. Used of relations, tone and a meeting. The adverb cordially survives mainly in invitations.
to underscoreformal /ˈʌndərˌskɔr/ to show clearly that something is important Synonyms: emphasize, highlight, stress	give extra emphasis	The outage underscores how much we depend on a single supplier for hosting.
On the emphasis ladder 'note' is lightest, then 'point out', then 'stress' or 'underscore', which insist you cannot ignore it. Used with an abstract object: underscore the need, the risk, the importance. More formal than 'highlight'.
to stressneutral /ˈstrɛs/ to say something with force because you do not want it missed Synonyms: emphasize, underline, insist on	insist on importance	I want to stress that the date is fixed and the client will not move it.
Used of yourself it sounds firm and a little impatient, because stressing something implies it was already missed once. Takes 'that' plus a clause, or a noun: stress the importance of testing. The unrelated noun means pressure on a person.
to point outneutral /ˌpɔɪnt ˈaʊt/ to tell someone a fact they seem not to have noticed Synonyms: note, mention, indicate	draw attention to	He pointed out that the contract already covers translation, so we owe nothing extra.
Separable: point out a problem, or point it out to someone. It looks like the polite middle of the emphasis ladder, but in a disagreement it is sharper, since it implies the other person missed something obvious. 'As I pointed out earlier' reads as open impatience.
to noteformal /ˈnoʊt/ to mention something briefly so that it is on record Synonyms: mention, observe, remark	mention for the record	I would just note that the same supplier missed two deadlines last year.
The lightest way to put an objection on record: 'I would note that…' raises a fact without asking for anything, leaving the reader free to ignore it. 'Please note' is a firm instruction rather than a hint. Takes 'that' plus a clause.
discreetneutral /dɪˈskrit/ careful not to repeat what you have been told Synonyms: trustworthy, tactful, close-mouthed	careful with what you know	Ask Marta, who is discreet and has seen this happen twice before.
Used of people, inquiries and conversations. Calling somebody discreet is a recommendation, because it says information given to them stops there. Do not confuse it with discrete, which means separate; the noun here is discretion.
to reframeneutral /riˈfreɪm/ to describe something in a new way so people see it differently Synonyms: recast, rephrase, present differently	present differently	Let's reframe the delay as extra testing time rather than as a missed deadline.
It changes the description and not the facts, so it is useful honesty or plain spin depending on what you leave out. Usually with 'as': reframe a cost as an investment. Written as one word in current American usage.
to positionneutral /pəˈzɪʃən/ to describe something in the way you want others to judge it Synonyms: present, frame, pitch	present in a certain light	We positioned the change as a customer request, which it genuinely was.
It is marketing language turned inward, and it assumes people will judge by the framing rather than the detail, so saying openly that you are positioning something can sound cynical in front of a client. Usually with 'as'.
to socializeinformal /ˈsoʊʃəˌlaɪz/ to show an idea privately to people before proposing it formally Synonyms: float, pre-share, test informally	share an idea early	Socialize the draft with the two directors before it reaches the full committee.
The point is removing surprise, so that nobody first hears the idea in the meeting where they must approve it: you socialize a plan, a draft or a number with people. American corporate jargon; elsewhere the word only means spending time with people.
opticsinformal /ˈɑptɪks/ how a decision will look to others, apart from whether it is right Synonyms: appearance, perception, public image	how it looks publicly	Cutting training in the same week as the bonus payments creates terrible optics.
Plural in form and treated as plural: the optics are bad. It separates appearance from substance, so raising optics admits the decision may be right and still damaging. The word borders on political slang; 'how this will look' is safer in formal writing.
legaleseinformal /ˌligəˈliz/ legal wording so dense that ordinary readers cannot follow it Synonyms: legal jargon, contract language, officialese	impenetrable legal wording	Strip the legalese out of the summary page and leave it in the contract, where it belongs.
Uncountable and always disapproving. Naming it is how you ask for a plain version without accusing the lawyer of anything, since legalese inside a contract is often necessary and legalese in a covering email never is.
to beg offinformal /ˈbɛg ˈɔf/ politely get out of something you had already agreed to do Synonyms: excuse yourself, withdraw, drop out	excuse yourself politely	He begged off the Friday review, citing a client call that nobody could move.
It admits the obligation while escaping it, so it needs a reason attached and works only occasionally before people stop inviting you. Used alone or with a noun after it: beg off the dinner. The g doubles in begged and begging.
to canvassformal /ˈkænvəs/ to ask many people for their views before deciding Synonyms: poll, survey, consult	gather opinions	I canvassed the whole team before recommending the change, and nobody objected.
You canvass people, or canvass opinion. Saying you canvassed first strengthens a proposal, because it shows objections were collected rather than avoided. Watch the spelling: 'canvas' with one s is the cloth, 'canvass' with two is the verb.
to backneutral /ˈbæk/ to give your support to a person or plan in public Synonyms: support, stand behind, get behind	give support to	If you back the proposal in the meeting, finance will stop resisting it.
It attaches your name to the outcome, which is why 'who is backing this?' really asks who will defend it if it fails. You back a plan, a bid or a person. The related noun 'backing' means support, usually money or authority.
to rubber-stampinformal /ˈrʌbər ˌstæmp/ to approve something officially without examining it properly Synonyms: wave through, approve automatically, nod through	approve without real checking	The board rubber-stamped the budget in four minutes without a single question.
Always disapproving: it accuses the approver of skipping the work, so never use it about your own decision or to the person's face. It can also be a noun for a body with no real power. Hyphenated as a verb in American usage.
propositionformal /ˌprɑpəˈzɪʃən/ an idea or offer put to someone, with a clear benefit for them Synonyms: offer, proposal, pitch	an offer or idea	Our proposition to the client is simple: half the setup time for the same fee.
More commercial than a plain suggestion, since a proposition names what each side gets. 'Value proposition' is the standard phrase for the short statement of why a buyer should care. 'A different proposition' can also mean a different kind of problem.
business caseformal /ˈbɪznəs ˌkeɪs/ a written argument that a piece of work is worth its cost Synonyms: investment argument, cost justification, written rationale	written reasons to invest	Finance will not release the money until there is a business case with real numbers.
It signals that preferences will not decide the question, only costs and benefits, so asking for one is a polite way to slow an idea down. You build, write or make a business case for something, often shortened to 'the case for'.
groundsformal /graʊndz/ the reasons that make an action or a decision acceptable Synonyms: reasons, basis, justification	reasons that justify something	We have grounds to end the contract early, but I would rather renegotiate it.
Plural in this sense even when there is one reason, and it takes 'for' or 'to': grounds for complaint, grounds to refuse. 'On the grounds that' introduces the reason formally. The legal flavor makes an objection sound official rather than personal.
imperativeformal /ɪmˈpɛrətɪv/ something that must be done and cannot wait Synonyms: necessity, priority, requirement	an urgent necessity	Protecting customer data is a business imperative, not just a legal requirement.
It is the strongest polite way to say something cannot be traded away, and it rings hollow if you use it often. As an adjective, 'it is imperative that we reply today' keeps the following verb in the base form.
decisiveneutral /dɪˈsaɪsɪv/ able to decide quickly, or able to settle a question completely Synonyms: conclusive, deciding, firm	settling the matter; firm	The security review was decisive: two vendors were removed from the list immediately.
Of a manager it is praise, though it can hint at haste; of a fact it means the argument is settled. The negative 'indecisive' describes only people, never evidence, which is the trap.
selling pointneutral /ˈsɛlɪŋ ˌpɔɪnt/ the feature that makes people choose one thing over another Synonyms: advantage, attraction, strong feature	a reason to choose it	The main selling point is that setup takes minutes, not that the price is low.
It names the buyer's reason rather than the product's quality, so the best feature and the best selling point are not always the same thing. Often with 'main' or 'key', and 'unique selling point' is the standard marketing phrase.
to reinforceneutral /ˌriɪnˈfɔrs/ to make an argument, message or habit stronger than before Synonyms: strengthen, support, back up	make stronger	Repeating the deadline in the summary reinforces it without sounding like a threat.
Writing to a senior reader, reinforcing a point is safer than repeating it, because plain repetition can read as doubt about their memory. It needs something already there to strengthen: a message, a point, an argument, a behavior.
to stack upinformal /ˌstæk ˈʌp/ to compare well or badly with something else Synonyms: compare, measure up, hold up	compare; hold up	Let's see how our prices stack up against the two competitors before we decide.
Common in questions: how does this stack up against theirs? A second sense means to make sense, so 'the numbers do not stack up' says they are inconsistent. Informal, so a report would say 'compares with' instead.
unequivocalformal /ˌʌnɪˈkwɪvəkəl/ clear enough that no other reading is possible Synonyms: unambiguous, plain, clear-cut	open to only one reading	We need an unequivocal yes from legal before the announcement goes anywhere.
Asking for it says you have already had an answer you could read two ways, so it is a polite second attempt. Categorical is about firmness and unequivocal about clarity. Compare the verb equivocate, which names what the other side was doing.
payoffneutral /ˈpeɪˌɔf/ the gain that comes at the end of work or spending Synonyms: return, reward, benefit	the reward for effort	The payoff from the training showed up six months later in fewer support calls.
More concrete than 'benefit', because it implies something measurable against what you spent. It takes 'from' or 'for'. A separate negative sense is a bribe, so keep the context clear when writing about money. Two words as the verb 'pay off'.
to make headwayneutral /ˌmeɪk ˈhɛdˌweɪ/ to make real progress on something slow or difficult Synonyms: progress, advance, gain ground	advance; gain ground	We are finally making headway on the backlog after two months of no movement.
'Headway' is uncountable and appears almost only here, often with 'little' or 'no'. The phrase implies the work is hard, so it claims credit for slow progress in a way that 'we finished some of it' does not. Takes 'on' or 'with' before the task.
a loaded questionneutral /ə ˈloʊdɪd ˈkwɛstʃən/ a question that forces an admission whichever way it is answered Synonyms: trick question, trap, unfair question	a question with a trap inside	Asking whether we have stopped ignoring the warnings is a loaded question, not an inquiry.
The trap is the assumption buried inside it, so the answer is to name the assumption rather than to answer the question. Loaded also describes single words that carry a judgment. One loaded question in writing costs more goodwill than a page of plain disagreement.
to disavowformal /ˌdɪsəˈvaʊ/ state publicly that you do not support or approve of something Synonyms: renounce, distance yourself from, repudiate	publicly deny support for	The company disavowed the email within an hour and named the contractor who sent it.
It puts distance between you and something you might be blamed for, and the speed of a disavowal is read as the measure of how sincere it is. Transitive: disavow a statement, a report or a person. Formal, and commonest in official writing.
pointedneutral /ˈpɔɪntɪd/ said in a way that is clearly aimed at one person Synonyms: deliberate, unmistakable, aimed	deliberately aimed at someone	Her pointed question about who approved the spend was meant for one person in the room.
Used of questions, remarks, silences and reminders. It says the aim was deliberate but not necessarily unfair, which separates it from snide: a pointed question can be entirely legitimate and still land as an attack.
snideinformal /ˈsnaɪd/ criticizing in a mean, indirect way Synonyms: sneering, catty, mocking	meanly mocking	A snide comment about who actually wrote the deck poisoned the whole channel.
It names small, deniable nastiness said sideways rather than to the person, so calling a remark snide accuses the speaker of cowardice as much as of unkindness. Used of remarks, tone and asides, not of decisions.
barbedneutral /ˈbɑrbd/ worded so that a criticism sits hidden inside something polite Synonyms: cutting, needling, sharp-edged	sharp and wounding	His barbed remark about our timekeeping stayed with everybody longer than the agenda did.
Used of remarks, questions and humor, never of people. The wound is deliberate and the wording is deniable, which makes barbed writing much harder to answer than open rudeness. The noun a barb is the remark itself.
veiledformal /ˈveɪld/ not said openly, but clear enough to be understood Synonyms: thinly disguised, implied, indirect	hidden but understood	The email contained a veiled threat to take the rest of the work elsewhere.
It collocates hard: a veiled threat, a veiled criticism, thinly veiled contempt. The writer can deny having said the thing while the reader takes the point, which is why naming it aloud is how you remove the cover.
tentativelyneutral /ˈtɛntətɪvli/ in a way that is not final and could still change Synonyms: provisionally, for now, informally	not yet firmly	We have tentatively booked the room for the ninth and can release it free of charge.
It makes a commitment you can withdraw without embarrassment, so it is the safe way to hold a date you are unsure of. A tentative agreement is real but not yet binding. Common with booking, scheduling and agreeing.
provisionallyformal /prəˈvɪʒənəli/ agreed for the present, until a final decision is made Synonyms: temporarily, conditionally, for now	for now; subject to change	The budget is provisionally approved, pending a full review of the vendor's figures.
More formal and more procedural than 'tentatively': a provisional approval normally names the condition that must still be met. It is common in minutes and letters, and it protects the person approving rather than the person asking.
nominallyformal /ˈnɑmənəli/ officially true, but not true in practice Synonyms: officially, on paper, in theory	in name only	He is nominally the owner of the project, though Ana makes every real decision.
It sets the official position against the real one, so it criticizes the arrangement rather than the person holding the title. A drier sense in finance means before adjusting for inflation. 'On paper' is the everyday equivalent.
to prodinformal /ˈprɑd/ remind someone once so that they finally act Synonyms: nudge, push gently, jog along	give one small push to act	One prod from the director moved a request that had sat untouched for a month.
A prod is one push where badgering is many, which makes it cheap and deniable: nobody resents being prodded once. Prod somebody into doing something, or prod them about it. Also a noun, as in give them a prod. The d doubles in prodded.
opaqueformal /oʊˈpeɪk/ so unclear that a reader cannot tell what is meant Synonyms: impenetrable, murky, unreadable	impossible to see into	The pricing section is opaque, and three of us read it three different ways.
Used of documents, processes and answers. It puts the difficulty in the writing rather than in the reader, which makes it a polite complaint, though calling somebody's answer opaque hints that the vagueness was chosen. The opposite here is transparent.
to downplayneutral /ˈdaʊnˌpleɪ/ to describe something as less important or serious than it is Synonyms: play down, minimize, soften	make seem less serious	The update downplayed the outage, which is why the board was angry a week later.
Almost always a criticism of the speaker, since it implies a deliberate choice to mislead gently, so it is a heavy word to use about a colleague's report. You downplay a risk, a cost or a mistake. 'Play down' is the same verb, separable.
stiltedneutral /ˈstɪltɪd/ so formal that the writing or talk sounds unnatural Synonyms: stiff, wooden, laborious	stiff and unnatural	The translated section is stilted, and readers will hear the effort in every sentence.
It names formality that has stopped serving the reader, so the cure is shorter sentences and ordinary words rather than a warmer greeting. Used of writing, style and conversation, and a stilted conversation is one where nobody is comfortable.
to dial backinformal /ˌdaɪəl ˈbæk/ to make something less strong or less extreme than before Synonyms: tone down, reduce, soften	reduce; make milder	Dial back the language in paragraph two; it reads as an accusation right now.
Separable: dial it back, dial back the tone. American and informal, used of language, expectations, spending and pressure. It asks for less of something already there rather than a change of direction, so it is a small correction and not a retreat.
self-deprecatingneutral /ˌsɛlf ˈdɛprəkeɪtɪŋ/ making fun of yourself, often to put other people at ease Synonyms: self-mocking, modest, unassuming	making light of yourself	A self-deprecating line about his own slides relaxed the room before the bad numbers.
It buys goodwill cheaply and spends authority slowly, so it works better from whoever is chairing than from whoever is being assessed. Used of humor, remarks and manner. Note the spelling: deprecating, not depreciating.
to couchformal /ˈkaʊtʃ/ to express something in a chosen way to soften its effect Synonyms: phrase, word, frame	express in careful words	The warning was couched in such polite language that nobody noticed it was a warning.
It points at the wrapping rather than the message, so saying something was couched in polite language usually means the real point was missed. Almost always passive and always with 'in': couched in careful terms.
standoffishinformal /ˌstændˈɔfɪʃ/ unfriendly in a cool, distant way Synonyms: aloof, cool, distant	unfriendly and distant	He came across as standoffish in the first meeting and warm in every one after it.
It describes how somebody seems rather than what they intend, which is why it so often turns out to have been shyness read as coldness. Used after seem, be or come across. Cordial is its opposite in manner, though not in warmth.
conservativeneutral /kənˈsɜrvətɪv/ chosen to be safe, usually smaller than you really expect Synonyms: cautious, modest, careful	cautious; deliberately low	That is a conservative estimate; the real saving is probably closer to twenty percent.
Calling your own number conservative claims honesty in advance and protects you if the result is better, and its opposite here is 'aggressive'. Of estimates and forecasts it means deliberately cautious, with no political meaning at all.
guardedneutral /ˈgɑrdɪd/ careful not to say too much or promise too much Synonyms: cautious, reserved, noncommittal	careful and reserved	The client was guarded about renewal, which usually means they are talking to competitors.
It reports someone holding back without accusing them of hiding anything, which makes it useful in notes on a difficult conversation. 'Guarded optimism' is hope with the risks still named.
noncommittalformal /ˌnɑnkəˈmɪtəl/ refusing to say clearly what you think or will do Synonyms: vague, evasive, guarded	giving no clear answer	His reply was noncommittal, so I still do not know whether the money exists.
Describes answers, replies and people. It reports the effect without claiming intent, so it is safer than 'evasive', which accuses. American writing usually spells it as one word. From a decision-maker, a noncommittal answer normally means no.
to waffleinformal /ˈwɑfəl/ to speak or write at length without saying anything clear Synonyms: ramble, be vague, avoid deciding	talk without deciding	The memo waffles for two pages and never answers the question that was asked.
In American use it also means changing your position back and forth, so 'he waffled on the decision' says he could not settle. Informal and openly critical, so keep it out of anything the subject may read. British use leans more toward empty talk.
to stallneutral /ˈstɔl/ to delay deliberately in order to gain time Synonyms: delay, play for time, hold off	delay on purpose	They are stalling on the contract until their own budget year begins in July.
Saying 'they are stalling' claims the delay is deliberate, which makes it an accusation rather than a report and a strong thing to put in writing. You stall a decision, or simply stall. A second sense is an engine stopping.
to sidestepneutral /ˈsaɪdˌstɛp/ to avoid a difficult question or problem instead of facing it Synonyms: avoid, dodge, skirt	avoid dealing with	The presentation sidestepped the cost question entirely and talked about culture instead.
Milder than 'dodge' and much milder than 'evade': it reports avoidance without claiming dishonesty, which makes it usable about a senior person. You sidestep a question, an issue or a rule. The p doubles: sidestepped, sidestepping.
to deflectneutral /dɪˈflɛkt/ to turn a question or criticism away from yourself Synonyms: turn aside, divert, dodge	turn attention away	He deflected every question about the delay by praising the team's hard work.
Unlike 'sidestep' it implies sending the attention somewhere else, often at another person, which makes it the harsher of the two. It takes criticism, blame, questions or attention as its object. The noun is 'deflection'.
to push outinformal /ˌpʊʃ ˈaʊt/ to move a planned date later than first agreed Synonyms: postpone, delay, move back	move to a later date	We pushed the launch out two weeks to give the support team time to prepare.
Separable: push the date out, or push out the date. Unlike 'slip', it names a decision with someone behind it, so it is the honest phrase when the delay was a choice. Americans also 'push back' a date, which can be confused with resisting.
pendingformal /ˈpɛndɪŋ/ not yet decided or finished, and waiting on something else Synonyms: outstanding, unresolved, awaiting decision	waiting for a decision	Three approvals are still pending, so the order cannot go out this afternoon.
It says nothing about whose fault the wait is, which makes it the calm word for a status report, while 'still pending' hints the wait is too long. Also a preposition, where 'pending approval' means until approval arrives.
to lingerneutral /ˈlɪŋgər/ to continue for longer than expected, usually unwelcome Synonyms: persist, remain, hang on	continue too long	The doubt about the figures lingered for months after the audit was closed.
'Lingering concerns' is a gentle way of saying the matter was never properly settled, because the word suggests something that will not go away by itself. Used of doubts, questions and problems rather than of tasks, and it never takes an object.
to loomneutral /ˈlum/ to be close in time and likely to cause trouble Synonyms: approach, draw near, threaten	approach threateningly	With the deadline looming, we agreed to cut the two smallest features.
It always adds a sense of threat, so it raises the pressure in a sentence where a neutral report would simply say the date is approaching. Most common as 'looming' before a noun: a looming deadline, a looming shortage.
bufferneutral /ˈbʌfər/ extra time or money kept between two things to absorb problems Synonyms: margin, cushion, spare time	spare time or space	Leave a two-day buffer between testing and launch in case something breaks.
Contingency is usually a formal allowance in a budget, while a buffer is often quiet, sensible planning that you do not announce. It takes 'between' or 'of': a buffer of three days. It works as a verb meaning to protect from an effect.
lukewarmneutral /ˈlukˌwɔrm/ showing so little enthusiasm that it reads as disapproval Synonyms: half-hearted, tepid, unconvinced	showing little enthusiasm	The response from the regional directors was lukewarm, which in practice meant no.
Used of a response, a reception or support. Its value is that it reports the absence of enthusiasm without claiming anybody objected, which is often the exact truth of a decision. From water that is neither hot nor cold.
impositionformal /ˌɪmpəˈzɪʃən/ a demand that takes more of someone's time or help than is fair Synonyms: unfair demand, intrusion, burden	an unfair demand on someone	Reading a hundred pages by Monday is an imposition, however politely it was asked.
Calling a request an imposition refuses it by blaming the request rather than the person who made it. Calling your own an imposition in advance, as in I know this is an imposition, is how a favor gets asked politely. Countable.
barringformal /ˈbɑrɪŋ/ used to say something will happen unless a named problem appears Synonyms: except for, apart from, short of	unless there is	Barring another supplier failure, the shipment should reach the warehouse on Tuesday.
A preposition, so it takes a noun phrase and not a clause: barring delays, barring a strike. It is the compact way to promise something while naming the one excuse you keep, and 'barring the unexpected' quietly keeps every excuse.
indicativeformal /ɪnˈdɪkətɪv/ given as a guide only, and likely to change Synonyms: provisional, approximate, not binding	showing a rough guide	The prices in the table are indicative and will be confirmed after the site visit.
Before nouns like price, timeline and figure it means not binding, and it is the formal written equivalent of 'ballpark'. With 'of' it has a second sense, showing evidence of something: 'indicative of a wider problem'. The grammar term is unrelated.
realisticallyneutral /ˌriəˈlɪstɪkli/ judging by what is likely rather than by what is hoped Synonyms: honestly, in practice, sensibly	being honest about it	Realistically, we will not have the numbers before the middle of next month.
As a sentence opener it signals that you are about to lower an expectation, which prepares the reader for less than they asked for. It sounds responsible rather than negative, so it corrects an optimistic plan without blaming whoever wrote it.
to softenneutral /ˈsɔfən/ to make words or a decision less hard on the other person Synonyms: tone down, moderate, ease	make less harsh	We softened the wording so that the client would not read it as a threat.
Softening changes how something lands rather than what it says, so a softened refusal is still a refusal and the reader will still hear no. You soften words, a message, a blow or a position. The t is silent in every form.
pushbackinformal /ˈpʊʃˌbæk/ resistance or objection from people who do not accept a plan Synonyms: resistance, objection, opposition	resistance to a plan	We got serious pushback from the regional teams on the new reporting rules.
Reporting pushback says nothing about who is right, which is why managers use it instead of saying a team refused. It takes 'from' and 'on': some pushback, a lot of pushback. The verb is two words, 'to push back on something'.
reservationformal /ˌrɛzərˈveɪʃən/ a doubt that stops you from fully agreeing Synonyms: doubt, hesitation, misgiving	a private doubt	I have one reservation about the schedule, which is the week of the audit.
The polite way to disagree while staying inside the group, because reservations can be recorded and then set aside. Usually plural: reservations about something. 'Without reservation' means full support. The booking sense is the same word.
misgivingsformal /mɪsˈgɪvɪŋz/ a feeling of worry that something may be wrong Synonyms: doubts, reservations, unease	uneasy doubts	Several partners had misgivings about the merger long before the numbers arrived.
A reservation points at a specific problem, while a misgiving is a feeling you may not be able to justify, so it invites a conversation rather than a decision. Nearly always plural, with 'have' or 'express', plus 'about'.
qualmformal /kwɑm/ a small feeling of doubt about whether something is right Synonyms: doubt, scruple, hesitation	a moral doubt	She had no qualms about telling the client the original estimate was wrong.
Usually plural and most common in the negative: 'no qualms about'. It leans toward conscience rather than judgment, so a qualm asks whether something is right while a reservation asks whether it will work. The l is silent.
thin-skinnedinformal /ˌθɪn ˈskɪnd/ easily upset by criticism, even when it is fair Synonyms: touchy, oversensitive, easily wounded	easily hurt by criticism	The team stopped giving honest feedback once they learned how thin-skinned he was.
Used of people only, and always a criticism, so it belongs in your own head rather than in anything the person may read. Thick-skinned is praise. What it really describes is the cost to everyone else, who stop telling the truth.
forthrightformal /ˈfɔrθˌraɪt/ saying what you think clearly, even when it is unwelcome Synonyms: direct, plain-spoken, frank	direct and honest	Her forthright answer about the budget gap saved everyone another week of guessing.
It is praise, unlike 'blunt', which is a complaint, and 'outspoken', which hints at speaking too often: forthright says the directness was welcome. It cannot describe someone who is merely rude.
concernneutral /kənˈsɜrn/ a worry about something that may go wrong Synonyms: worry, doubt, reservation	a stated worry	My concern is that one person understands the payment process and nobody else does.
'I am concerned that…' is the standard soft form of disagreement, because it reports your own worry instead of attacking the plan and leaves the other person room to answer. You raise, share or flag a concern. It is not 'I disagree'.
uneaseformal /ʌnˈiz/ an uncomfortable feeling that something is not right Synonyms: discomfort, disquiet, worry	a vague discomfort	There is real unease in the team about how the decision was announced.
It describes a mood rather than an argument, which makes it the honest word when people are unhappy but nobody has yet made a case. It takes 'about' and has no plural: some unease, growing unease. The adjective 'uneasy' describes the person.
grantedneutral /ˈgræntɪd/ used to admit a point before giving your own argument Synonyms: admittedly, true, fair enough	I accept that	Granted, the tool is slower, but it produces numbers the auditors will accept.
Used alone at the start of a sentence, or as 'granted that'. It concedes one point in order to win a bigger one, so the sentence after it almost always begins with 'but'. Conceding first makes the rest of your argument harder to dismiss.
to rebuffformal /rɪˈbʌf/ refuse an offer or approach in a way that discourages another try Synonyms: turn down flatly, reject, repel	refuse coldly	Our first approach was rebuffed, so the second one went through their lawyer instead.
Not merely a no but a no that closes the door, which is why it is usually reported in the passive and about somebody else. Rebuff an offer, an approach or an attempt. The noun is the same word, and the double f survives in rebuffed.
high-handedneutral /ˌhaɪ ˈhændɪd/ using your authority without consulting the people it affects Synonyms: autocratic, imperious, overbearing	using authority without asking	Announcing the change on Friday without warning anyone was high-handed, whatever its merits.
The complaint is about the method and not the decision, which makes this the safest way to object to how something was done while accepting what was done. Used of people, decisions and manner, and hyphenated in both positions.
to go over someone's headinformal /ˈgoʊ ˈoʊvər ˈsʌmwʌnz ˈhɛd/ to ask a more senior person after ignoring the one in charge Synonyms: bypass, sidestep, appeal above	bypass the person responsible	Going over my head to the vice president made the next meeting very difficult.
It is always a complaint when it describes you being bypassed, while the same act called an escalation sounds procedural instead. A separate idiom, 'it went over my head', means I did not understand it, so the context has to make the sense clear.
categoricalformal /ˌkætəˈgɔrɪkəl/ stated so firmly that no exception is allowed Synonyms: absolute, flat, outright	firm, allowing no exception	We need a categorical answer on whether any customer data left the country.
It promises the reader that nothing has been held back, so a categorical denial that later needs correcting costs far more than a careful one would have. Used of denials, assurances and refusals, and the adverb categorically is commoner than the adjective.
to dress downinformal /ˈdrɛs ˈdaʊn/ criticize someone angrily, often in front of other people Synonyms: scold, rebuke sharply, tell off	scold sharply, often publicly	He dressed her down in the open office, and two people resigned within the month.
The public setting is part of the meaning, and a dressing-down usually costs the manager more standing than the person who receives it. Separable: dress somebody down. A second, harmless sense is to dress informally for work.
bluntneutral /blʌnt/ saying things directly, without softening them at all Synonyms: direct, frank, plain	direct, almost rude	To be blunt, the proposal will not survive the first finance review.
'To be blunt' warns the listener that what follows will not be softened, which is itself a courtesy. It describes force rather than rudeness, so it is milder than 'brusque' or 'abrasive': a blunt answer can be perfectly kind in intent.
brusqueformal /brʌsk/ speaking quickly and with too few words to be polite Synonyms: abrupt, curt, short	abrupt and unfriendly	His brusque reply to the client cost us an hour of repair work.
It criticizes the manner and not the content, so a brusque email can be perfectly correct and still do damage. Note the pronunciation: it rhymes with 'dusk', and the letters que are just a k sound.
curtformal /kɜrt/ using so few words that it sounds unfriendly Synonyms: abrupt, brusque, terse	very short and unfriendly	A curt one-line answer to a careful question reads as anger, even when none exists.
Mostly of replies, nods and tone. Both 'curt' and 'brusque' blame the manner, but curt points at shortness specifically, which is why a one-word email answer reads as curt with no unkind word in it. The adverb 'curtly' is common in reported speech.
terseformal /tɜrs/ using very few words, to be efficient or to show displeasure Synonyms: brief, clipped, short	using very few words	The terse reply said only that the matter was closed and gave no reason.
Unlike 'curt', it can be neutral or even admiring about writing that wastes no words, though about a reply to a person it suggests coldness. If you mean short and clear, 'concise' is safer, because it carries no hint of displeasure at all.
abrasiveformal /əˈbreɪsɪv/ unpleasant in manner in a way that annoys people over time Synonyms: harsh, grating, difficult	harsh; wearing on people	He is effective but abrasive, and two good analysts left his team last year.
Blunt is a style, abrasive is a pattern, and the second is far harder for the person to answer, which is why it is a serious criticism in a review: it names a lasting effect on others. Used of people and personalities rather than single sentences.
combativeformal /kəmˈbætɪv/ ready to argue or fight rather than discuss Synonyms: aggressive, argumentative, hostile	eager to argue	The tone of the reply was combative, so we waited a day before answering it.
It says someone treats a discussion as a fight to be won, which is a criticism even when they are right. 'Confrontational' is close, with more stress on seeking the clash. Stressed on the second syllable in American usage.
defensiveneutral /dɪˈfɛnsɪv/ behaving as if a comment were an attack that needs answering Synonyms: guarded, touchy, self-protective	reacting as if attacked	I got defensive about the review notes and answered before I had read them properly.
Calling someone defensive is awkward, since the word invites the very reaction it describes; about yourself it is a graceful admission. Often with 'get' or 'sound'. 'On the defensive' describes the position rather than the manner.
adversarialformal /ˌædvərˈsɛriəl/ treating the other side as an opponent instead of a partner Synonyms: hostile, oppositional, confrontational	treating others as opponents	The relationship turned adversarial as soon as lawyers started writing the emails.
In business writing it is a warning: an adversarial relationship still has a contract but no goodwill left. In law the same word is neutral, naming a system with two opposing sides. Used of relationships and cultures rather than single remarks.
confrontationalneutral /ˌkɑnfrənˈteɪʃənəl/ dealing with disagreement by facing people directly and forcefully Synonyms: aggressive, combative, challenging	seeking open conflict	Asking for the numbers in front of the whole board felt confrontational to him.
What makes an act confrontational is often the audience, since the same question in private is just a question. Usually a criticism, though 'less confrontational' is a common way to ask for the same point made privately.
diplomaticneutral /ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk/ careful to say things in a way that does not upset people Synonyms: tactful, careful, sensitive	tactful; careful with people	A more diplomatic version of that email would still have made the point clearly.
It praises skill with people, though 'a diplomatic answer' can hint that the speaker avoided the truth. The political sense, about relations between countries, shares the word. 'Undiplomatic' is the usual polite way of calling something tactless.
tactformal /tækt/ the skill of saying difficult things without hurting people Synonyms: sensitivity, diplomacy, care	skill in handling feelings	Telling a client their data is wrong takes real tact and a written record.
'Tactful' and 'tactless' are the everyday verdicts on an email, and 'tactless' is the one people actually write. You have, show or lack tact, never 'a tact'. Do not confuse it with 'tack', meaning an approach, as in 'try a different tack'.
measuredformal /ˈmɛʒərd/ careful and calm, with nothing said in anger Synonyms: calm, controlled, considered	calm and controlled	Her measured response to an angry email kept the account for another year.
High praise in professional writing, because it says you controlled yourself where you might not have: the strongest reply to an angry message is usually a measured one. Used of responses, tone, language and criticism.
even-handedformal /ˌivən ˈhændɪd/ treating both sides equally, without favoring either one Synonyms: fair, impartial, balanced	fair to both sides	The review was even-handed and named mistakes on both sides of the handoff.
It always praises, and what it praises is specific: the writer resisted the pull toward their own side, which is exactly what matters in a report about a dispute. Hyphenated before a noun, and usually after the verb too.
dispassionateformal /dɪsˈpæʃənət/ judging something calmly, without letting feelings decide Synonyms: objective, detached, impartial	free of emotion	We need a dispassionate look at whether this client is still worth the effort.
Stronger than 'calm', because it claims the judgment itself is free of feeling and not just the voice. It does not mean uncaring: a dispassionate review can lead to a generous decision.
to inflameformal /ɪnˈfleɪm/ to make an argument or bad feeling much stronger Synonyms: worsen, aggravate, stir up	make feelings worse	Copying the whole department inflamed a disagreement that two people could have settled.
It says the act made things worse than the original problem, which makes it a pointed criticism of how something was handled rather than of the decision behind it. It takes a situation, tensions or feelings as its object.
passive-aggressiveinformal /ˌpæsɪv əˈgrɛsɪv/ showing anger indirectly while appearing polite or helpful Synonyms: indirectly hostile, snide, underhanded	hostile behind politeness	Adding my manager to a routine reminder came across as passive-aggressive.
Written English has recognizable signals of it: 'per my last email', a surprise copy to a manager, or thanks in advance for what nobody agreed to. Name the behavior, not the person. Hyphenated before a noun.
offhandneutral /ˌɔfˈhænd/ said quickly and carelessly, without much thought Synonyms: casual, unconsidered, careless	said without much thought	An offhand remark about the pricing was quoted back to us for a year.
It excuses the speaker and warns the listener in one word, since an offhand comment was never meant to carry weight and frequently does anyway. Also an adverb meaning without checking: I cannot say offhand. American writing leaves out the hyphen.
to backtrackneutral /ˈbækˌtræk/ to change what you said earlier because of pressure Synonyms: go back on, retreat, reverse	retreat from a position	The supplier backtracked on the discount as soon as the volumes were confirmed.
It reports a retreat and suggests weakness or bad faith, so it is not the word for your own change of mind, where you would say you reconsidered. Usually with 'on'. Compare 'walk back', which is about correcting a statement.
to caveinformal /ˈkeɪv/ to stop resisting and accept what the other side wants Synonyms: give in, yield, back down	give in under pressure	We caved on the delivery date but held the price exactly where it was.
Informal and openly judging the retreat as weakness, so use it about your own side only if you accept that verdict; to the other party 'agreed' or 'accepted' is wiser. Takes 'on' or 'to', and often 'cave in'.
at oddsneutral /æt ˈɑdz/ disagreeing with someone, or not matching something else Synonyms: in conflict, in disagreement, inconsistent	clashing; not matching	The two reports are at odds on how many accounts were actually closed.
Takes 'with' for the person and 'on' or 'over' for the subject. It works for people who disagree and for facts that do not match, which makes it a useful neutral way to report a clash without saying who is wrong. 'Odds' stays plural here.
out of lineneutral /ˌaʊt əv ˈlaɪn/ behaving or speaking beyond what is acceptable Synonyms: inappropriate, unacceptable, over the mark	beyond what is acceptable	That remark about her accent was out of line, and I said so at the time.
It judges one act rather than the person, which is what makes it usable to somebody's face: you were out of line can be answered, you are rude cannot. Used after be, get or step. A second sense is simply not matching, as in out of line with the forecast.
to absolveformal /əbˈzɑlv/ state officially that someone is not to blame Synonyms: clear, exonerate, free from fault	clear of blame officially	The report absolves the night team and puts the fault in the release process itself.
Absolve somebody of something, usually in the passive. It is the strongest thing a report can do for a person, and it carries weight only when the writer had the power to blame them instead. The noun absolution still sounds religious.
to taskformal /ˈtæsk/ to give someone a particular job to do Synonyms: assign, charge, put on	give a job to	Two analysts were tasked with checking every invoice from the last quarter.
It hides who gave the order, which is convenient or evasive depending on your reader: 'two analysts were tasked with checking' names no one. Almost always passive, with 'with' plus a noun or an -ing form. Formal and faintly bureaucratic.
to owninformal /ˈoʊn/ to be the person responsible for a task and its result Synonyms: be responsible for, lead, drive	be responsible for	Priya owns the migration, so every question about dates should go to her.
Business jargon built on the property sense: you own a task, a number or a decision. It also means accepting fault, as in 'I own that mistake', which is admired in American workplaces. Both senses name one person, which is the whole point of the word.
remitformal /ˈrimɪt/ the range of subjects a person or group is responsible for Synonyms: responsibility, scope, area of authority	an area of responsibility	Pricing falls outside my remit, so I have passed the question to finance.
It refuses a request by pointing at the boundaries of the job rather than at your willingness: 'outside my remit'. Usually singular, with 'within' or 'outside'. More frequent in British and international English than in American speech.
answerableneutral /ˈænsərəbəl/ required to explain and defend what you did Synonyms: accountable, responsible, liable	having to justify something	The project manager is answerable for the overspend, not the person who signed the invoice.
Answerable to a person and for a thing, and the two get mixed: you are answerable to the board for the budget. It names who has to explain rather than who did it, which is the distinction most arguments about blame miss.
disclaimerneutral /dɪsˈkleɪmər/ a short statement limiting what you promise or take responsibility for Synonyms: caveat, limiting statement, warning note	a written warning of limits	He added a disclaimer that the figures were unaudited and might move by ten percent.
A disclaimer protects the writer rather than informing the reader, so one long enough to be safe is usually long enough to be skipped. Countable. Put it beside the claim it limits instead of in a footnote, or it protects nobody.
to level withinformal /ˈlɛvəl wɪð/ tell someone the honest truth, including the part they will not like Synonyms: be straight with, be frank with, talk plainly to	speak frankly at last	Let me level with you: the date was never realistic and everyone in the room knew it.
Announcing it admits you were not being fully open until now, so it buys trust and spends a little standing in the same breath. Level with somebody about something. Warmer and far more personal than to be frank.
deferentialformal /ˌdɛfəˈrɛnʃəl/ showing great respect for someone more senior Synonyms: respectful, reverential, humble	showing respect for rank	His email was so deferential that the actual request disappeared into the politeness.
Neutral in itself and mildly critical in business writing, because deference tends to bury the point the writer sat down to make. Used of tone, manner and language. The noun is deference, and to defer to somebody belongs to the same family.
to snubneutral /ˈsnʌb/ deliberately ignore someone in a way they and others notice Synonyms: ignore pointedly, slight, pass over	ignore someone deliberately	She was snubbed in the announcement, which the whole department read as a decision.
A snub only works in public, since one nobody notices is nothing at all, and that visibility is what turns an omission into a statement. Transitive, and the noun is a snub. The b doubles before endings: snubbed, snubbing.
pressingneutral /ˈprɛsɪŋ/ needing attention soon, though not an emergency Synonyms: urgent, immediate, unavoidable	needing attention soon	There is a more pressing question: who is paying for the extra week of testing?
It ranks one thing above another without declaring a crisis, which makes it the polite way to move a meeting off the wrong subject. Sits before a noun: a pressing concern, pressing business. Pressed for time is a separate phrase, and it describes you rather than the task.
capacityneutral /kəˈpæsəti/ the amount of work a person or system can handle Synonyms: room, ability to handle, bandwidth	how much can be handled	We are at capacity until the new analyst starts, so something has to move.
The written, neutral form of 'bandwidth': it sounds like a fact about the system rather than an excuse. At capacity, spare capacity, capacity to take on more. A separate sense, 'in my capacity as', means in a stated role.
backlogneutral /ˈbækˌlɔg/ work that has built up because it was not done on time Synonyms: queue, pile-up, waiting work	unfinished work piling up	The backlog of open tickets doubled while two people were out sick.
The pile, not the reason: reporting a backlog stays neutral and explaining it is where blame starts. It takes 'of': a backlog of orders. In software planning 'the backlog' is simply the list of future work.
to offloadinformal /ˈɔfˌloʊd/ to give work you cannot do to someone else Synonyms: hand over, pass on, shift	pass work to others	I offloaded the weekly report to free up time for the audit.
It admits the work was unwanted, so it sounds less respectful than 'hand over' or 'entrust', and 'offloading work onto someone' is close to an accusation. Takes 'to' or 'onto' the other person. Use it of tasks, never of people.
to pick up the slackinformal /ˈpɪk ˈʌp ðə ˈslæk/ to do the work that someone else has not done Synonyms: cover, take over, make up the difference	cover unfinished work	Two colleagues picked up the slack while the position stayed empty for months.
A fixed idiom, always with 'the slack'. It praises the person who covered while quietly saying somebody else fell short, so it can be a compliment and a complaint in one sentence. Name who picked it up and the second meaning becomes plain.
follow-throughneutral /ˈfɑloʊ ˌθru/ the act of finishing something you promised to do Synonyms: completion, persistence, delivery	finishing what you start	The plan was good, but the follow-through stopped after the first two weeks.
'Poor follow-through' is a standard and serious criticism in a review, because it separates intention from delivery: the person agreed, and then nothing happened. Hyphenated as a noun with no plural, while the verb is two words.
benefit of the doubtneutral /ˈbɛnəfɪt əv ðə ˈdaʊt/ the choice to believe someone honest while the facts are unclear Synonyms: assumed good faith, favorable reading, provisional trust	assuming good intent	I gave them the benefit of the doubt on the first missed date and not on the second.
Always in give somebody the benefit of the doubt, always singular with the. Saying you gave it makes clear the facts allowed a worse reading, which is a warning wrapped inside a generous sentence.
to hold someone toneutral /ˈhoʊld ˈsʌmwʌn tu/ to make someone do exactly what they promised Synonyms: keep someone to, enforce, insist on	make someone keep their word	I will hold them to the date in the email, not the one they mentioned later.
Frame: hold someone to a promise, a date, a price or a standard. Saying it in advance is a polite warning that the commitment is now on record. It is firm without being hostile, because it treats the other person's word as reliable.
on the hookinformal /ɑn ðə ˈhʊk/ responsible for something, and blamed if it goes wrong Synonyms: responsible, liable, answerable	responsible if it fails	Until the contract is signed, we are on the hook for every day of delay.
It names exposure to blame rather than ownership of the work, so it fits risk you did not choose. Informal, where a contract would say 'liable'. 'Off the hook' means free of that risk.
to reassureneutral /ˌriəˈʃʊr/ to say something that makes another person stop worrying Synonyms: comfort, calm, put at ease	remove someone's worry	I reassured the client that the outage had not touched their own data.
Frames: reassure someone that something is true, or reassure them about something. Reassurance without facts sounds hollow and can be worse than silence, so pair it with what you actually know. The noun is 'reassurance'.
to overpromiseneutral /ˌoʊvərˈprɑməs/ to promise more than you can actually deliver Synonyms: oversell, overcommit, promise too much	promise more than possible	We overpromised on the launch date and spent the next month apologizing for it.
Usually intransitive, often with 'on', and normally used about yourself or your own side as an admission. The pair 'overpromise and underdeliver' names the whole pattern, and saying it first about yourself takes most of the sting out of it.
to underdeliverneutral /ˌʌndərdɪˈlɪvər/ to give less than you said you would Synonyms: fall short, disappoint, deliver less	deliver less than promised	The vendor underdelivered in the first month but recovered by the end of March.
The mirror of 'overpromise': it states a gap between promise and result without claiming anyone lied, which makes it usable in a supplier review. Both the hyphenated and solid spellings appear in American business writing.
to overrunformal /ˌoʊvərˈrʌn/ to use more time or money than was planned Synonyms: exceed, go over, run past	exceed time or budget	The project overran its budget by nine percent, mostly in contractor fees.
It states a fact about the plan rather than about a person, so it is gentler than saying someone overspent, and 'a cost overrun' is standard in reporting. Used with budget or schedule, or of a meeting that overran. Irregular past: overran, overrun.
lapseformal /læps/ a short failure to do something you should have done Synonyms: failure, slip, omission	a brief failure	The missed backup was a lapse in process, and we have added a second check.
It admits a real failure while framing it as brief and untypical, which is why apologies reach for it: a lapse in judgment, a lapse in security. As a verb it means to end quietly, as when a contract lapses.
off the recordneutral /ˌɔf ðə ˈrɛkərd/ said on the understanding that it will not be repeated or quoted Synonyms: unofficially, in confidence, not for quotation	said, but not to be quoted	Off the record, the budget was decided before anybody asked us for numbers.
The protection exists only if the listener agrees before you speak, so saying it afterwards protects nothing at all. On the record is the opposite, while for the record means something different again: said deliberately so that it is written down.
dismissiveneutral /dɪsˈmɪsɪv/ treating an idea or a person as not worth considering Synonyms: unwilling to engage, offhand, scornful	treating as beneath attention	He was dismissive of the pilot results and never asked how they had been measured.
Takes of. The charge is refusing to engage rather than disagreeing, which is what makes it such an effective thing to say about a reviewer: a dismissive answer contains no argument to answer back.
misstepformal /ˈmɪsˌstɛp/ a mistake in judgment, usually in how something was handled Synonyms: mistake, error, wrong move	a wrong move	Announcing the change before telling the team was a misstep we cannot repeat.
It points at a decision or an action rather than a factual error, so a misstep is a matter of judgment. It sounds measured and slightly forgiving, which is why senior people use it about their own side. Note the double s.
to fall shortneutral /ˌfɔl ˈʃɔrt/ to be less than what was needed or promised Synonyms: miss, come up short, not reach	not reach the standard	We fell short of the target by two accounts, having lost one in the final week.
It reports the gap without naming a cause, which is why results announcements use it: fall short of expectations, of the target. Irregular past 'fell short'. Of a document it is polite criticism of quality.
to mishandleformal /mɪsˈhændəl/ to deal with a situation in the wrong way Synonyms: manage badly, bungle, botch	manage something badly	The complaint was mishandled at every stage, and the customer left after six years.
The passive 'it was mishandled' is the standard form in a written review, because it states the failure without naming a person. A firm criticism, used of a situation, a complaint or a conversation rather than an object.
to misjudgeneutral /mɪsˈdʒʌdʒ/ to form a wrong opinion about something or someone Synonyms: get wrong, underestimate, misread	judge wrongly	I misjudged how much the client cared about the format of the monthly report.
Said of yourself it is a graceful admission, because it claims a wrong reading rather than carelessness, which is the smallest honest way to own a mistake of judgment. It takes a person, mood, risk or amount as its object.
regrettablyformal /rɪˈgrɛtəbli/ used in formal writing to introduce unwelcome news Synonyms: unfortunately, sadly, I am sorry to say	unfortunately, and formally	Regrettably, we cannot hold the price beyond the end of this quarter.
It opens a sentence carrying bad news and signals that the decision is already made, which is why it can feel cold: the regret is stated and the reason is not. 'We regret that' does the same work. Save it for real bad news or it reads as insincere.
culpableformal /ˈkʌlpəbəl/ deserving blame for something that went wrong Synonyms: to blame, at fault, guilty	deserving the blame	The report avoids saying who was culpable and describes the process instead.
It assigns blame far more heavily than 'responsible', which can simply mean in charge, so professional writing avoids it until a finding has actually been made. Close to legal language; the noun is 'culpability'.
finger-pointinginformal /ˈfɪŋgər ˌpɔɪntɪŋ/ blaming other people publicly instead of fixing the problem Synonyms: blame-trading, mutual blame, recrimination	public blaming of each other	The call turned into finger-pointing and we still had no plan for Monday morning.
Uncountable, and it disapproves of everyone in the room at once, which is what makes it safe to say aloud: no finger-pointing accuses nobody in particular. The verb is three words, point the finger at somebody.
to reprimandformal /ˈrɛprəˌmænd/ to tell someone officially that their behavior was wrong Synonyms: rebuke, discipline, formally warn	formally criticize	He was reprimanded in writing for sharing the figures outside the company.
It means an official act that may go on a record, not simply a hard conversation, so do not use it loosely for feedback: in employment writing it implies a formal step. Usually passive, and the noun has the same spelling.
constructiveneutral /kənˈstrʌktɪv/ intended to help someone improve rather than to blame them Synonyms: helpful, useful, positive	meant to help improve	Her comments were constructive and told me exactly which section to rewrite.
Most common in 'constructive feedback' and 'constructive criticism'. The word claims good intent, so calling your own comments constructive can sound defensive; be specific instead and let the reader judge. 'Unconstructive' is a mild but clear complaint.
to commendformal /kəˈmɛnd/ to praise someone officially for what they did well Synonyms: praise, applaud, recognize	praise formally	I want to commend the support team for working through the whole weekend.
Frames: commend someone for something, or commend something to someone, which means recommend it. It is formal praise that can go on the record, so it belongs in a written note to a manager rather than in casual thanks between colleagues.
unsolicitedformal /ˌʌnsəˈlɪsətɪd/ given without being asked for Synonyms: uninvited, unrequested, unwanted	not asked for	Unsolicited advice about their pricing is unlikely to be welcome in a first meeting.
Often a polite complaint, because calling advice unsolicited says that nobody wanted it. In sales the same word is neutral and just means the customer did not ask. Used before a noun: unsolicited advice, an unsolicited proposal.
presumptuousformal /prɪˈzʌmptʃuəs/ doing or assuming more than your position allows Synonyms: overstepping, too bold, forward	taking too much liberty	It would be presumptuous of me to answer for a department I do not lead.
Frame: presumptuous of someone to do something. About yourself it is a graceful way to refuse to speak for others; about someone else it is a sharp criticism of both rank and manners. The common misspelling 'presumptious' drops the u from 'presume'.
backhandedneutral /ˈbækˌhændɪd/ seeming to praise while actually criticizing Synonyms: double-edged, two-faced, sly	praise that insults	Calling the report readable for once was a backhanded compliment, and she heard it that way.
Almost always in a backhanded compliment, and the insult is the half the listener remembers. The speaker keeps deniability, which is why the phrase names a cowardly move rather than a witty one. Also used of an apology.
condescendingformal /ˌkɑndɪˈsɛndɪŋ/ showing that you think you are better than the other person Synonyms: patronizing, superior, lofty	showing false superiority	The phrase 'as you may know' can read as condescending to an expert reader.
Very close to 'patronizing', with a little more weight on the writer's sense of their own standing. In email it usually comes from unnecessary explanation rather than from insult, so the repair is to cut the explanation, not to add politeness.
succinctformal /səkˈsɪŋkt/ said in few words, with nothing important left out Synonyms: concise, brief, to the point	short and clear	A succinct summary at the top of the report is what senior readers actually read.
Always praise, unlike 'terse' or 'curt', because it says nothing needed was lost — so it is the word to use about a colleague's writing. Note the pronunciation: the first c is a k sound and the second an s.
verboseformal /vərˈboʊs/ using more words than are needed Synonyms: wordy, long-winded, padded	using too many words	The section on risk is verbose and could lose half its length without loss.
Always a criticism, and more formal and less personal than 'long-winded', which suits a speaker better, so a written review is safer with 'verbose'. The noun is 'verbosity'.
boilerplateneutral /ˈbɔɪlərˌpleɪt/ standard text reused in many documents without change Synonyms: standard wording, template text, stock language	standard reusable wording	Most of the contract is boilerplate; only the two pricing clauses matter here.
Neutral about contracts, where standard wording saves everyone time, but critical about a reply, since a boilerplate answer means nobody read your question. It works as an adjective too, and has no plural.
perfunctoryformal /pərˈfʌŋktəri/ done quickly and without interest, only to satisfy a rule Synonyms: cursory, superficial, half-hearted	done without real care	The review was perfunctory: two lines of comment on a forty-page document.
Always disapproving: it says the form was met and the substance was not, which makes it a precise complaint about an approval, because the work happened on paper but not in fact. Used of checks, reviews, apologies and nods.
tone-deafinformal /ˈtoʊn ˌdɛf/ failing to notice how words will affect the people reading them Synonyms: insensitive, badly judged, out of touch	blind to how it lands	A message about cost discipline in the same week as the party was tone-deaf.
It criticizes judgment about the audience rather than intent, so it is often the fairest word for an email that was accurate and still landed badly. Used of messages, decisions and people, and always hyphenated.
to bury (bad news)informal /ˈbɛri/ put unwelcome information where readers are unlikely to notice it Synonyms: hide, tuck away, slip in quietly	hide where nobody will look	The cost increase was buried on page nine, which is why the board missed it.
Burying something is not lying, which is exactly why it is tempting and why readers call it dishonest the moment they find it. You bury a number, a warning or a condition in a report. Usually passive, since nobody admits to doing it.
understatedneutral /ˌʌndərˈsteɪtɪd/ saying less than the facts would allow, on purpose Synonyms: restrained, modest, quiet	deliberately low-key	Her understated summary of a very good year impressed the board more than a boast would.
Understatement borrows authority: a reader who has to supply the missing enthusiasm believes it more than one who is handed it. Used of a tone, a summary or a description. The noun is understatement, and an understated claim is still a claim.
qualifierneutral /ˈkwɑləˌfaɪər/ a word added to make a statement less absolute Synonyms: limiting word, softener, get-out word	a word that limits a claim	Strip the qualifiers out and the paragraph says the launch will probably slip.
Countable, and worth counting: three qualifiers in one sentence tell the reader you do not believe your own point. Mostly, largely and generally are the usual suspects. Keep the one that is true and cut the rest.
to come cleaninformal /ˈkʌm ˈklin/ finally tell the truth about something you were hiding Synonyms: admit everything, own up, confess	admit the whole truth	We came clean about the second delay before the client heard it from anybody else.
It concedes there was something to hide, so it costs you the earlier silence and buys back the story; done first, it is the cheapest bad news there is. Come clean about something, or come clean with somebody.
crypticneutral /ˈkrɪptɪk/ so short or unclear that the reader cannot tell what is meant Synonyms: obscure, baffling, mysterious	too short to be understood	His cryptic reply, just the word noted, left the whole team guessing for two days.
A cryptic message makes the reader do work the writer skipped, and coming down a hierarchy it reads as displeasure whether or not that was meant. Used of replies, notes and comments. Not the same as concise, which is short and complete.
obliqueformal /oʊˈblik/ referring to something without naming it directly Synonyms: indirect, sideways, implied	aimed without naming	There was an oblique reference to last quarter that everybody in the room understood.
It lets a point be made and disowned at once, which is why oblique criticism is so hard to answer: saying it aloud is the only reply available. Used of references, criticism and warnings. The geometry sense shares the spelling.
emphaticneutral /ɛmˈfætɪk/ expressed so strongly that the speaker cannot later soften it Synonyms: forceful, firm, decided	stated with real force	The answer was emphatic: no work starts before the purchase order arrives.
Being emphatic spends credibility to buy attention, so it works once in a document and looks shrill by the third time. Used of denials, answers and instructions. The adverb emphatically often carries the whole weight on its own.
grudgingneutral /ˈgrʌdʒɪŋ/ given unwillingly, and showing it Synonyms: reluctant, unwilling, half-hearted	given unwillingly	We got grudging approval and a reminder that nobody upstairs liked the idea.
It records that you won the decision and not the argument, which is worth writing down: grudging agreement is the first thing withdrawn when something goes wrong. Used of approval, praise, respect and an apology.
insistentneutral /ɪnˈsɪstənt/ repeating a demand until it is dealt with Synonyms: persistent, unrelenting, dogged	refusing to drop something	The client was insistent that the training happen before the system goes live.
Insistent that plus a clause, where the clause verb often stays in the base form, or insistent on plus a noun. It describes steady repetition rather than anger, which makes it safe in a written record of who asked for what.
to cajoleformal /kəˈdʒoʊl/ persuade someone by being pleasant and persistent Synonyms: coax, sweet-talk, win round	coax with charm	She cajoled two departments into sharing a budget that neither wanted to give up.
Cajole somebody into doing something. It implies the other person had to be worked on, so it flatters the persuader and faintly patronizes the persuaded; keep it out of anything they will read.
to prevail uponformal /prɪˈveɪl əˈpɑn/ persuade someone senior or unwilling to do something for you Synonyms: persuade, talk round, get to agree	persuade a reluctant person	We prevailed upon the director to make the call herself, which settled it in an hour.
Prevail upon somebody to do something. Very formal, and it books a small debt, since the phrase admits the person did you a favor they did not owe you. Prevail on is the same phrase; prevail alone means to win.
to pour cold water oninformal /ˈpɔr ˈkoʊld ˈwɔtər ɑn/ say discouraging things that stop an idea gaining support Synonyms: discourage, dampen, talk down	dampen an idea	Finance poured cold water on the plan by asking who would pay for the extra staff.
It criticizes the manner rather than the objection, so whoever pours cold water may be entirely right and still be resented for it. The frame keeps all five words, with the idea at the end. Common in accounts of meetings.
to take at face valueneutral /ˈteɪk ət ˈfeɪs ˈvælju/ accept something as true without looking behind it Synonyms: accept as stated, believe, take as given	accept without checking	We took the supplier's date at face value and had no plan for the week it slipped.
The object goes inside the phrase: take the figure at face value. Saying you did it is usually an admission, because the phrase implies there was something underneath that deserved a second look.
to take to taskformal /ˈteɪk tə ˈtæsk/ criticize someone formally for a particular failure Synonyms: call to account, challenge, censure	call someone to account	The chair took the vendor to task over three missed reports in a row.
Measured where dressing somebody down is angry: it names the failure and expects an answer to it. Take somebody to task over or for something, with the person inside the phrase. Common in writing about public bodies.
to talk down toneutral /ˈtɔk ˈdaʊn tə/ speak to someone as if they understood less than they do Synonyms: patronize, condescend to, belittle	speak as to an inferior	He talked down to the new analyst, who had in fact written the model he was explaining.
The verb for what condescending describes, and the judgment belongs to the listener: explaining something they already know is enough, whatever you intended. Talk down to somebody; to talk somebody down is to reduce their price.
to put words in someone's mouthinformal /ˈpʊt ˈwɜrdz ɪn ˈsʌmwʌnz ˈmaʊθ/ say that someone meant something they did not actually say Synonyms: misrepresent, twist someone's meaning, misquote	claim someone said something	I never said the date was safe, so please do not put words in my mouth.
Said in defense rather than in attack, and nearly always as a negative request. It objects to somebody's summary of your view instead of to their view, which refuses a trap without raising your voice.
to bristleformal /ˈbrɪsəl/ react with visible annoyance to something said Synonyms: take offense, stiffen, react sharply	show sudden irritation	She bristled at the suggestion that her team had missed the deadline on purpose.
Bristle at something. It reports a reaction you could see, which makes it useful in a note about a meeting: saying somebody bristled records the temperature without accusing them of anything. The t is silent.
to sidelineneutral /ˈsaɪdˌlaɪn/ quietly leave someone out of decisions they used to be part of Synonyms: push aside, exclude, shut out	push out of involvement	He was sidelined after the reorganization without anybody ever telling him so.
Usually passive, and usually without a decision anybody will own, which is what makes the word an accusation. You can sideline a person, a team or an issue. From sport, where the sidelines are off the field of play.
to walk on eggshellsinformal /ˈwɔk ɑn ˈɛgˌʃɛlz/ behave very carefully to avoid upsetting someone Synonyms: tread carefully, tiptoe around, be wary	act with anxious care	The team walks on eggshells around him, and nobody has told him anything true for months.
It describes the cost to everybody else rather than the person's temper, which is why it criticizes a manager even when no criticism is stated. Walk on eggshells around somebody, and in practice always in the continuous.
heavy-handedneutral /ˌhɛvi ˈhændɪd/ using more force or control than the situation needs Synonyms: excessive, clumsy, ham-fisted	clumsily forceful	The reminder emails were heavy-handed and turned a small delay into a formal complaint.
It faults the amount of force rather than the right to use it, so it questions judgment and not authority. Used of editing, management, reminders and enforcement. High-handed is the other fault: acting without consulting anyone.
ingratiatingformal /ɪnˈgreɪʃiˌeɪtɪŋ/ trying so hard to please someone that it looks calculated Synonyms: fawning, oily, over-eager	trying too hard to please	His ingratiating tone in the client meeting embarrassed the colleagues sitting beside him.
Always disapproving, and the fault is visibility: the same warmth passes unnoticed until a listener senses a purpose behind it. Used of a tone, a manner or a smile. The verb is reflexive, ingratiate yourself with somebody.
tactlessneutral /ˈtæktləs/ saying something hurtful without realizing it Synonyms: insensitive, undiplomatic, thoughtless	clumsy without meaning harm	Asking about her old job in front of the team was tactless rather than cruel.
The gentlest charge in this area, because it grants that no harm was intended, which makes it the safest of these words to use about a colleague. Used of people, questions and remarks, and built on the noun tact.
breezyinformal /ˈbrizi/ so cheerful and casual that it misses how serious something is Synonyms: casual, light, airy	cheerfully casual	A breezy note about the outage annoyed customers who had lost a day of work.
Warm in a good week and badly wrong in a bad one, since breeziness about somebody else's problem reads as not caring. Used of a tone, an email or a manner. Aim it at logistics and never at an apology.
tight-lippedneutral /ˌtaɪt ˈlɪpt/ refusing to give any information at all Synonyms: silent, unforthcoming, close-mouthed	refusing to say anything	The company stayed tight-lipped about the resignation for a week, and rumors filled the gap.
Total silence, where guarded and noncommittal describe answers that merely say little. Stay or remain tight-lipped about something. Silence is read as bad news, so it is rarely the cheap option it looks like.
with respectformal /wɪð rɪˈspɛkt/ a phrase used before contradicting someone more senior Synonyms: respectfully, if I may, forgive me	a polite signal of disagreement	With respect, the figures on that slide are last quarter's rather than this one's.
Everybody knows a contradiction is coming, and that is the point: it announces the objection while keeping the manner correct. With all due respect is the same move worn thin by irony, so the shorter form is safer in writing.
to let someone down gentlyinformal /ˈlɛt ˈsʌmwʌn ˈdaʊn ˈdʒɛntli/ refuse or disappoint someone in the kindest way you can Synonyms: refuse kindly, soften a refusal, break it kindly	refuse as kindly as possible	Let the intern down gently; she has worked hard on a proposal we cannot fund.
The person sits inside the phrase and gently comes last: let him down gently. It accepts that the answer is no and puts all the care into the delivery, which is the only part still under your control.
in confidenceformal /ɪn ˈkɑnfədəns/ told privately, on the understanding that you will not pass it on Synonyms: privately, confidentially, between us	told privately, not to be passed on	She told me in confidence that she had already accepted the other offer.
It binds the listener rather than the speaker, so once you accept something in confidence you have taken on a duty you cannot hand back. Tell, say or speak in confidence. Off the record is the narrower promise: not to be quoted, though it may be used.
to bend over backwardsinformal /ˈbɛnd ˈoʊvər ˈbækwərdz/ make an unusually large effort to help or please someone Synonyms: go to great lengths, do everything possible, put yourself out	go to great lengths for someone	We bent over backwards to hold their start date, and they changed it twice anyway.
Said about your own side, and it quietly asks for credit, which is why it is most often followed by what the other party did anyway. Bend over backwards to do something, or for somebody. Never use it about the person you are writing to.
to implicateformal /ˈɪmpləˌkeɪt/ suggest that someone had a part in something that went wrong Synonyms: point to, involve, name as involved	suggest someone was involved	The timeline implicates the release process rather than any one engineer.
A serious word: implicating somebody does not prove anything but puts their name in the sentence, which is most of the damage. Often passive, and the noun implication here means involvement, not a suggested meaning.
to goadformal /ˈgoʊd/ keep saying things that push someone into a reaction they regret Synonyms: provoke, needle, bait	provoke into reacting	He goaded her into answering in the meeting, which was exactly what he wanted.
Goad somebody into doing something. It moves the blame for a bad reaction onto whoever caused it, so saying you were goaded is a defense; saying somebody goaded you is an accusation. From the stick once used to drive cattle.
unbecomingformal /ˌʌnbɪˈkʌmɪŋ/ not acceptable in someone holding that position Synonyms: improper, unworthy, unsuitable	beneath someone's position	The tone of the email was unbecoming in a director and the board said so.
It judges conduct against a role rather than against a rule, which is why it appears in codes of conduct and in formal complaints. Unbecoming in or of somebody. Very formal, and heavier than inappropriate because it invokes the office itself.
to curry favorformal /ˈkɜri ˈfeɪvər/ try to win someone powerful over by praising and pleasing them Synonyms: ingratiate yourself, court approval, flatter	seek approval by flattery	Volunteering for every one of her projects looked like currying favor, not commitment.
Always about somebody else and always disapproving, since the charge is that the effort is aimed at the person rather than at the work. Curry favor with somebody. The spelling is favor in American English and favour in British.

English C1 — Professional Communication Official

Rate this Deck

Word List — click grammar notes to expand

More English Decks

English C1

English C1 — Academic & Research

Business English — Negotiation & Leadership

Academic English — Research & Essays

English B2

English B2 — Business & Economy