SNAFU
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See also: snafu
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
The term was born during the Second World War as an acronym of the initials of the words situation normal, all fucked up, which summed up the chaos and confusion of the war from an individual soldier’s point of view.
Pronunciation
- (UK) enPR: snă'fo͞o, 'snăfo͞o, IPA(key): /snæˈfuː/, /ˈsnæfuː/
- (US) enPR: snă'fo͞o, 'snăfo͞o, IPA(key): /snæˈfu/, /ˈsnæfu/
- Rhymes: -uː, -ɑːfuː
Phrase
SNAFU
- (military, slang, euphemistic) Acronym of situation normal, all fucked up / situation normal, all fouled up
Noun
SNAFU (plural SNAFUs)
- A confused, muddled, or messed-up condition or state; a ridiculously chaotic situation; confusion or chaos regarded as the normal state.
- A major glitch or breakdown; a mistake or blunder.
- 2007, Susan Glairon, Paperwork SNAFU, The Daily Times-Call, LongmontFYI
- Because of a paperwork snafu, he also hasn’t been able to get his Army discharge papers and is still listed as an active-duty soldier…
- 2007, Susan Glairon, Paperwork SNAFU, The Daily Times-Call, LongmontFYI
Translations
confused, muddled, or messed-up condition or state; ridiculously chaotic situation
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major glitch or breakdown
Related terms
See also
- Article on a military training cartoon character: Private Snafu, by Frank Capra in 1942. The stories were written by Theodor Geisel (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss).