buzzword

noun

buzz·​word ˈbəz-ˌwərd How to pronounce buzzword (audio)
1
: an important-sounding usually technical word or phrase often of little meaning used chiefly to impress laymen
2
: a voguish word or phrase

called also buzz phrase

Examples of buzzword in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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That’s the buzzword, especially after the pandemic. Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 13 Apr. 2025 Tips for Buying a Cashmere Sweater Look for 100 percent cashmere These days, cashmere is a bit of a buzzword, and many sweaters advertised as cashmere are actually cashmere blends featuring lower-quality (and scratchier) fabrics. Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2025 Scar tissue is a medical term, but in golf it’s become something of a buzzword. Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025 In fact, what is of paramount importance is, to borrow a 2024 buzzword, a demure undetectability. José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for buzzword

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of buzzword was in 1946

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Cite this Entry

“Buzzword.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buzzword. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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