Chat SlangWork and money slang
Terms from offices, start-ups and side businesses.
The way we work has produced its own words: some from the office, some from start-ups and freelancing. These are the ones you will hear in meetings, job posts and videos about careers.
Some of these words are fashionable and may not last. Use the plain version in a job application.
Side hustle
Extra work done for money alongside a main job.
Example: "her side hustle is baking"
Quiet quitting
Doing only what the job requires, nothing extra.
Example: "he is quiet quitting"
WFH
Work from home.
Example: "I am wfh on Fridays"
Burnout
Exhaustion from long stress at work.
Example: "she took a break after burnout"
Gig
A short job or project, often freelance.
Example: "I got a design gig"
Ping
To send a quick message.
Example: "ping me when you are free"
Circle back
Return to a topic later.
Example: "let us circle back next week"
Bandwidth
How much work a person can take on.
Example: "I have no bandwidth this week"
Deadline
The time by which work must be done.
Example: "the deadline is Monday"
KPI
Key performance indicator; a number that measures how well you are doing.
Example: "our kpi is sales"
OOO
Out of office.
Example: "I am ooo till Monday"
EOD
End of day.
Example: "send it by eod"
Pitch
A short presentation to win work or money.
Example: "I have a pitch tomorrow"
Freelance
Working for different clients without one employer.
Example: "she works freelance"
Flex
To show off, often money or things.
Example: "he likes to flex his car"
Broke
Having no money for now.
Example: "I am broke till the salary"
Passive income
Money that comes without daily work, after setup.
Example: "rent is passive income"
Upskill
Learn new skills for work.
Example: "I am upskilling in Excel"
Networking
Meeting people to find opportunities.
Example: "networking helped me find work"
Onboarding
The process of a new person joining a team.
Example: "onboarding takes a week"
Questions people ask
Do these words mean the same everywhere?
Mostly, but not always. Slang changes with the group, the app and the year. Use the meaning here as the usual one and check with the context.
Why is a word not listed?
We list words that are common and not mainly abusive. Tell us on the contact page if you want one added.