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Decoding Business English Vocabulary: What Circling Back Really Means

Language exists in different registers, ranging from very casual to highly formal, depending on the context and the relationship between speakers. But beyond these general distinctions, each field has its own specialized vocabulary—acronyms, phrases, and expressions that are unique to its domain. Business English is no exception. In corporate environments, professionals use a range of jargon that might seem cryptic to outsiders but is essential for smooth communication within the field. Understanding these terms is key to navigating business discussions, whether you're crafting emails, leading meetings, or negotiating deals.

Here’s a guide to help you navigate the maze of business expressions you’ll encounter in the office. 

1. Circling Back

When someone says they’ll “circle back,” they’re really just buying themselves time. It’s the business world’s way of saying, “I don’t have an answer for you right now, but I’ll get back to you later (hopefully when you’ve forgotten about it).” 


Example:
“I’ll circle back with you on the budget numbers after I’ve had a chance to review them with finance.”Translation: “I need to check with finance because I have no idea what the budget looks like right now.” 

 

2. Touching Base

“Let’s touch base” is code for, “I want to make sure you haven’t forgotten about this.” It’s often used when a project is dragging on, and someone needs to remind you (nicely, of course) that it needs to get done. 

Example:“Hey, just touching base on the report. Any updates?”Translation: “It’s been a week since I asked, and I’m starting to worry you forgot about it.” 

 

3. Deep Dive

This sounds adventurous, but in reality, it means you’re about to spend a lot of time dissecting a problem. Get ready to analyze every detail! 

Example:“We need to do a deep dive into last quarter’s sales data.”Translation: “Prepare to spend the next three days in a spreadsheet marathon.” 

 

4. Ping Me

No, you’re not being challenged to a game of ping pong. “Ping me” is a trendy way to say, “Send me a quick message.” It’s supposed to sound casual, but you’ll soon realize it usually leads to more work. 

Example:“Ping me when you’re ready to discuss the project timeline.”Translation: “Remind me to follow up on this.” 

 

5. Take It Offline

This one’s a favorite in meetings. When a discussion gets too detailed or off-topic, someone will suggest “taking it offline,” which means, “Let’s not bore everyone else with this right now, but we’ll definitely discuss it later.” 

Example:“This is a great conversation, but let’s take it offline and discuss it after the meeting.”Translation: “This topic is derailing the meeting, but we’ll deal with it later.” 

 

6. Bandwidth

Ever feel like you just can’t take on one more task? In business speak, you’re low on “bandwidth.” It’s a polite way of saying, “I’m swamped”  

Example:“I don’t have the bandwidth to take on another project right now.”Translation: “I’m juggling 10 different things, and my to-do list is getting too long.” 

 

7. Move the Needle

If you hear this phrase, someone’s looking for results. To “move the needle” means to make a noticeable impact such as increasing sales for example. 

Example:“We need to come up with strategies that will really move the needle this quarter.”Translation: “We need results, and we need them fast.” 

 

8. On Your Radar

When someone asks if something is “on your radar,” they’re subtly letting you know that it should be.  

Example:“Is the new compliance policy on your radar?”Translation: “This is important, and I’m subtly reminding you to prioritize it.” 

 

9. Low-Hanging Fruit

This one’s about as appealing as it sounds. “Low-hanging fruit” refers to the easy tasks that can be done quickly, usually to show progress when the bigger tasks are still out of reach. 

Example:“Let’s focus on the low-hanging fruit to get some quick wins.”Translation: “Let’s tackle the easy stuff first and feel productive before we dive into the real work.” 

 

10. Let’s Table This

A fancy way of saying, “Let’s stop talking about this before my head explodes.” “Tabling” something means to pause the discussion until (hopefully) a later date. 

Example:“We’re running out of time, so let’s table this topic for our next meeting.”Translation: “I can’t deal with this right now, so let’s push it to next time.” 

 

11. Synergy

Synergy is a fancy way of saying "teamwork." It’s often used in meetings to sound impressive, but it usually just means that different groups or departments need to collaborate.  

Example: 
“Our departments need to work together to create synergy and optimize our resources.” 


Translation: 
“We need our teams to work together more effectively.” 

 

With these translations in your back pocket, you’ll be ready to navigate the world of corporate lingo like a pro. Just remember, in the world of business speak, it’s all about keeping the conversation going—whether or not anything actually gets done! 

Now, let’s see if you have been paying attention. Can you make sense if this email? 
 
 

Subject: Circling Back on Project Timelines and Bandwidth 

Hi Team, 

I wanted to touch base regarding our current projects. I’ve been reviewing the timelines, and I’ll circle back with each of you individually after I’ve had a chance to deep dive into the details. Let’s make sure everything is still on your radar. 

That said, I realize bandwidth is an issue for many of us right now, so if anyone feels overwhelmed, please ping me, and we can discuss how to manage workloads. We should also focus on tackling some low-hanging fruit to move the needle quickly this quarter. 

There were a few topics in our last meeting that we didn’t finish addressing. I suggest we table them for now and take them offline to discuss in more detail later. I’m confident that with the right synergy between departments, we can stay on track. 

Looking forward to your updates! 

 

Here is what this email would sound like in everyday language: 

Subject: Follow-Up on Project Timelines and Workload 

Hi Team, 

I wanted to check in on how our current projects are going. I’m reviewing the timelines now, and I’ll get back to each of you once I have a better understanding of the details. Let me know if you still have these projects in mind. 

I know many of us are busy, so if anyone is feeling overwhelmed, just send me a quick message, and we can figure out how to handle it. Let’s also focus on some easy tasks to make quick progress this quarter. 

There were a few things from our last meeting that we didn’t finish discussing. Let’s pause those for now and talk about them later in more detail. I’m confident that if we all work together, we’ll stay on track. 

Looking forward to your updates! 

 

Some of these expressions are unnecessary and often used without conveying much real substance. In fact, many people have started mocking them on social media, as shown in this video. The video moves quickly, so we recommend watching it at 0.75 speed. You’ll likely notice that it covers more office jargon than we’ve included in this blog post, but we didn’t want to overwhelm you. If you ever encounter an unfamiliar expression, don’t hesitate to ask your co-workers what it means!  

If you are interested in learning more about workplace lingo, norms and practices, we recommend this humorous video series (also available on Instagram and YouTube).  

 

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