a red pencil, biscuit and cup of coffee on top of the "Jobs and Careers" page of a newspaper, illustrating the concept of job applications and the "September Surge"

New words – 6 November 2023

On November 6, 2023October 2, 2023 By Cambridge WordsIn New words2 Comments

September Surge noun [C]
UK /sepˌtem.bə ˈsɜːdʒ/ US /sepˌtem.bɚ ˈsɝːdʒ/
an increase in job vacancies that is said to happen in September every year

Dust off your resume, rewrite your cover letters and start posting on LinkedIn. That’s the advice we’re hearing for recruiters as we head into the fall and enter the “September Surge,” a time when it might be easier to land a job. But we know 2023 has been full of layoffs and economic uncertainty. So will the fall be any different? Is the September Surge real?
[worklife.news, 28 August 2023]

burn-on noun [U]
UK /ˈbɜːn.ɒn/ US /ˈbɝːn.ɑːn/
a feeling of stress and exhaustion experienced by someone who has been working too hard for a long period but continues to be good at their job and appears to be enjoying it

Feeling overworked but not yet burned out? Often the problem is “burn-on,” an under-researched phenomenon whose sufferers desperately struggle to keep up and meet their own expectations — with dangerous consequences for their health … While those suffering from burn-out come to the clinic having already been brought to a standstill by depression, people with burn-on have often worked late into the night the evening before.
[worldcrunch.com, 3 December 2022]

See also burn-out

loud labourer noun [C]
UK /ˌlaʊd ˈleɪ.bᵊr.əʳ/ US /ˌlaʊd ˈleɪ.bɚ.ɚ/
someone who likes to tell colleagues about how busy and successful they are at work, when often this is not actually the case

It’s highly likely that at some point in your career, you’ve encountered a “loud labourer”. These are the people who love to toot their own horn. They’re constantly banging on about all the great stuff they’ve done … so much so that they hardly have time to actually complete their work. But that doesn’t matter, because to a loud labourer, work is not about productivity, but the appearance of it.
[worklife.news, 28 August 2023]

About new words

a group of people in business clothing drinking coffee together and talking, illustrating the concept of making small talk and chatting to people you don't know

Have you come far? Chatting to someone you don’t know (2)

On November 1, 2023October 24, 2023 By Liz WalterIn Conversation, the English language25 Comments

Listen to the author reading this blog post:

by Liz Walter

My last post looked at ways of responding to introductions and introducing other people. Today’s post gives some ideas about how to take the conversation further. We call this kind of chatting small talk but with luck it can lead to deeper and more interesting conversations! Continue reading “Have you come far? Chatting to someone you don’t know (2)” →

a mother kissing her young child in a nursery decorated in white and pale brown, illustrating the concept of "sad beige"

New words – 30 October 2023

On October 30, 2023September 13, 2023 By Cambridge WordsIn New words, the English language13 Comments

sad beige adjective
/ˌsæd ˈbeɪʒ/
a way of describing the trend of dressing babies and young children in pale brown and other neutral shades because these colours are thought by the parents to be more tasteful and stylish than bright colours

What is “sad beige,” and why do some parents love it so much? The muted palette is hot now: influencers’ Instagram grids are full of photos of children wearing shades ranging from ivory to tan. There’s even a backlash against the so-called “sad beige” trend from people who believe children need a little more color in their lives.
[today.com, 18 January 2023]

traumedy noun [U]
UK /ˈtrɔː.m.ə.di/ US / ˈtrɑː.mə.di/
a type of comedy that involves someone talking about past traumatic events in their life in a funny way

Standup has certainly taken a sharp turn towards inner trauma in recent years, giving rise to the dismissive portmanteau term “traumedy” to describe the comedic habit of processing disturbing experiences live on stage. And the 2023 Edinburgh fringe now looks like the peak of the trend.
[theguardian.com, 20 August 2023]

crying make-up noun [U]
/ˈkraɪ.ɪŋ ˌmeɪk.ʌp/
a style of make-up that makes the wearer look as though they are, or have recently been, crying

“Crying make-up” is taking over TikTok, but has the “sad girl aesthetic” finally gone too far? Noor Mubarak, a psychological wellbeing practitioner, agrees that the crying make-up trend can be problematic. “For those who are struggling with feelings of despair and tearfulness, it can feel trivialising to see people trying to look like they are struggling for aesthetic purposes.”
[glamourmagazine.co.uk, 28 October 2022]

About new words

a group of people standing around a man who is reading a newspaper under an umbrella, illustrating a post on the meaning of "the calm before the storm" and other idioms in newspapers

The calm before the storm (Newspaper idioms)

On October 25, 2023October 19, 2023 By Kate WoodfordIn Idioms, Idioms and phrases in newspapers, the English language28 Comments

Listen to the author reading this blog post:

by Kate Woodford

Readers of our About Words blog often ask us for posts on currently used English idioms. One way that we make sure we give you up-to-date idioms is by looking at expressions used in current newspapers. This week, the idioms come from a range of national newspapers that were published on 5 October 2023. Continue reading “The calm before the storm (Newspaper idioms)” →

a picture of a young man in business clothing holding a laptop close to his face and staring intently at the screen, illustrating the concept of 'screen apnoea'

New words – 23 October 2023

On October 23, 2023September 13, 2023 By Cambridge WordsIn New words10 Comments

screen apnoea noun [U]
/ˈskriːn ˌæp.ni.ə/
the situation where someone stops breathing properly when they are looking at the screen of their mobile phone or similar device

The lack of movement that comes from sitting in front of a screen might also be a contributor to screen apnoea, says Dr David Spiegel. Disrupted breathing is the result of “a combination of not just what you’re doing but what you’re not doing,” he says, adding that he noticed screen apnoea among patients who worked high-stress jobs for long hours without getting much exercise or sleep.
[smh.com.au, 29 August 2023]

See also sleep apnoea

soft troll noun [C]
UK /ˌsɒft ˈtrəʊl/ US /ˌsɑːft ˈtroʊl/
a person who criticizes or makes nasty comments about someone on the internet but only to other people and not directly to the person in question

Have you ever hate-followed fake friends or acquaintances, revelled in online spats or screenshotted someone’s post to bitch about in your group chat? You could be a soft troll.
[stylist.co.uk, 28 August 2023]

See also troll

rage farming noun [U]
UK /ˈreɪdʒ ˌfɑː.mɪŋ/ US /ˈreɪdʒ ˌfɑːr.mɪŋ/
the activity of posting content on social media that aims to make the reader angry and then share the content with other users

A term which has recently entered common parlance is “rage farming” – a manipulative tactic by bloggers or journalists to elicit outrage with the goal of increasing internet traffic, online engagement, revenue and support. Imagine that one individual who, when they appear on your timeline or tv screen, creates an instantaneous feeling of deep, unbridled anger. It seems this reaction is not just unproblematic for such individuals but eminently desirable.
[sluggerotoole.com, 18 January 2023]

About new words

four young people smiling and shaking hands as they introduce themselves to each other, illustrating the concept of conversation and chatting to people you don't know

Do you know many people here? Chatting to someone you don’t know (1)

On October 18, 2023October 16, 2023 By Liz WalterIn Conversation, the English language16 Comments

Listen to the author reading this blog post:

by Liz Walter

Chatting to someone you don’t know can be difficult at any time, but it’s especially hard if you aren’t speaking in your first language. Back in 2017, my colleague Kate Woodford wrote a useful post about introducing yourself and giving a little information about yourself. This post and my next look at ways of continuing the conversation. Continue reading “Do you know many people here? Chatting to someone you don’t know (1)” →

A man and woman facing each other across a table. The woman looks confused and apprehensive. Picture illustrating the concept of a "beige flag".

New words – 16 October 2023

On October 16, 2023October 17, 2023 By Cambridge WordsIn New words, the English language14 Comments

beige flag noun [C]
/ˌbeɪʒ ˈflæg/
a sign that someone you have started a romantic relationship with is a little strange or boring but not enough for you to end the relationship

According to the TikTok users who have latched on to the term in the past month, a beige flag is an odd trait in a romantic prospect that is not quite a deal breaker, but not exactly a plus, either. As one user put it, a beige flag makes a potential partner or a partner pause and say “Huh?” for a few seconds before carrying on with the relationship.
[nytimes.com, 7 June 2023]
See also red flag

ghostlighting noun [U]
UK /ˈgəʊst.laɪ.tɪŋ/ US /ˈgoʊst.laɪ.t̬ɪŋ/
the act of ending a relationship with someone by suddenly stopping all communication with them, then trying to make them believe that this did not actually happen and they must have imagined it

Ghostlighting mixes together ghosting – which is where a potential love interest disappears without an explanation – with the more sinister gaslighting, which is an emotional abuse or manipulation tool where a person purposefully tries to twist information to make their partner feel as though they are in the wrong.
[www.mirror.co.uk, 25 June 2023]
See also ghosting, gaslighting

groundhogging noun [U]
UK /ˈgraʊnd.hɒg.ɪŋ/ US /ˈgraʊnd.hɑːg.ɪŋ/
the act of dating the same type of person again and again, even though it never ends in a successful relationship

In dating, groundhogging means you date the same person repeatedly, which never works out for you. Think back on your relationships. Do they all tend to start and end the same way? Do your past significant others have a lot in common? If you answered yes, groundhogging could very well be to blame for your relationship woes.
[marriage.com, 14 March 2023]
See also Groundhog Day

About new words

photo edit of a girl looking upwards in amazement as she is handed an unrealistically large ice cream cone, taller than she is - illustrating the concept of words meaning very large

Vast, mahoosive and monstrous (Words meaning ‘very large’)

On October 11, 2023October 3, 2023 By Kate WoodfordIn Synonyms, the English language, Vocabulary10 Comments

Listen to the author reading this blog post:

by Kate Woodford

Today I’m looking at words that mean ‘very or extremely large’. You’ll already know several words in this area – adjectives such as enormous, huge and massive – so I won’t focus on those. Instead, I’ll look at a set of adjectives that you might not know. Most have rather similar meanings. The differences are mainly found in the register of the words, that is, whether they are formal or informal. Continue reading “Vast, mahoosive and monstrous (Words meaning ‘very large’)” →

a group of smiling businesswomen looking at the camera and raising their fists to show strength, illustrating the concept of power skills

New words – 9 October 2023

On October 9, 2023October 18, 2023 By Cambridge WordsIn New words9 Comments

power skills noun [plural]
UK /ˈpaʊə ˌskɪlz/ US /ˈpaʊ.ɚ ˌskɪlz/
a set of abilities that are essential for doing your job well but are not specific to any one job

Those who have strong communication, organisational and interpersonal skills find they can adapt quickly to new roles and flourish in busy workplaces. For too long these qualities have been known as soft skills, but increasingly voices in the recruitment sphere are referring to them as power skills because of the impact they have on the workplace.
[feweek.co.uk, 14 August 2023]

resenteeism noun [U]
UK /re.zənˈtiː.ɪ.zᵊm/ US /re.zənˈtiː.ɪ.zᵊm/
staying in a job that makes you very unhappy because it provides security or you have no other job to go to

Unlike quiet quitting, where workers refuse to take on extra tasks, workers with resenteeism can’t help but have a moody, negative attitude. As Jason Lalljee notes, “What makes resenteeism different from normal 9-to-5 blues, in theory, is that you’re more open with your dissatisfaction at work.” I believe that if leaders don’t take action, resenteeism can spread among staff members, sabotaging team morale.
[fastcompany.com, 21 April 2023]

See also presenteeism

shift shock noun [C]
UK /ˈʃɪft ˌʃɒk/ US /ˈʃɪft ˌʃɑːk/
a feeling of surprise and disappointment when you start a new job and discover that it, or the company, is not as good as you expected

Shift shock can come as a result of different working hours to the ones you thought you would have (perhaps you were told in your interview you’d “probably” be working 9-5, Monday to Friday, but were advised to be flexible to meet business needs… then you got started and learned you’d be working every weekend), having unexpected responsibilities on your to-do list or discovering that a company’s culture isn’t as lovely as it appeared.
[stylist.co.uk, March 2023]

About new words