FUBAR

Military abbreviation · Military Term

FUBAR
Stands forF***ed up beyond all recognition
CategoriesMilitary

FUBAR stands for F***ed up beyond all recognition, a military term abbreviation.

Military slang for a situation, plan or piece of equipment that is hopelessly broken or confused. It emerged among American troops during World War II and passed into general English.

Example: The radio got soaked in the river crossing and is completely FUBAR.

Usage notes

Often given the polite gloss "fouled up beyond all recognition." It belongs to a family of wartime acronyms such as SNAFU and TARFU ("things are really f***ed up"). The film Saving Private Ryan helped revive it for modern audiences. Pronounced "FOO-bar."

More military term abbreviations

  • FOB – Forward operating base
  • FOUO – For Official Use Only
  • FPCON – Force protection condition
  • FRAGO – Fragmentary order
  • FRG – Family Readiness Group
  • FSA – Family Separation Allowance
  • GEOINT – Geospatial intelligence
  • GI – Government issue
  • GO – General officer
  • GQ – General quarters
  • GWOT – Global War on Terrorism
  • HADR – Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief

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