Skip to main content

Orwellian. 

A bureaucracy that has become stupid and turns on its citizens to protect its stupidity.

Also used to describe coded language and terms with multiple meanings used by governments or media.
That is Orwellian.
Orwellian. by zos12345 December 17, 2013
Words you can keep

Orwellian 

This is Great Britain summed up in a single word, currently competing with the likes of North Korea. In Britain there are increasingly pathetic authoritarian laws being introduced to rid the country of expressive freedom.

Freedom of speech, not that complete freedom of speech ever existed here, is now almost completely gone.

You'll be afraid to speak up about the current invasion of foreigners, you'll be afraid to say certain words, you'll be under surveillance, you'll be under control, you'll be fearful of arrest.
Edward from the UK: I was getting verbally abused and threatened online today. I hit them with a torrent of offensive words in return, and like a week later, the police turned up at my house and arrested me for hurting somebody's feelings with word bullets!

Edward's friend, Rob from the USA: Man.. You can get arrested for such petty shit today, whatever happened to sticks and stones? Also, why were you arrested and treated like a criminal when the others started it and got away with it? They even threatened you and got away with that too? That's bullshit beyond logic.

Edward from the UK: People have been arrested for far less mate. It's a law called Malicious Communications. Everything in the UK is ass-backwards. That's why Boris Johnson was allowed to party it up with his mates during lockdown with police on guard. Then a pensioner was sentenced for selling mince pies during the pandemic. Britain is truly broken beyond belief. A disgustingly oppressive country, it's do as I say, not as I do.

Edward's friend, Rob from the USA: Holy shit dude, that's Orwellian alright! If I lived there I'd be out like a bullet!
Orwellian by Fight 4 Freedom January 27, 2023

Orwellian 

1: A situation that resembles the themes of George Orwell's book 1984, which include but are not limited to: authoritarianism, oppression, poverty, and brainwashing.

2: A perfect name for your slightly overweight cat.
1:

P1: my college exams were Orwellian. you had to miss lunch to study and the professors were yelling at me when i dropped a pencil.

P2: that sucks

2:
P1: dude i got this super fat cat what should i name him

P2: i think Orwellian would be perfect.
Orwellian by amnesiafranky July 21, 2017

Orwellian 

George Orwell, early writer of science fiction.
A narrative or prophesy of events caused by political manipulation, characterised by impersonality and suspicion, and especially by an almost savagely comical dissembling that prevents serious challenge to them on logical grounds.
"The minister's intent, while not exactly Machiavellian, is at least Orwellian.
I might describe it as Gibsonian, but this scheme would result in troubles that would not be mere circumstance, but the work of beaurocratic design."
Orwellian by Lostgallifreyan January 11, 2005

Orwellian 

Often confused with totalitarian, Orwellian describes deceptive and manipulative use of the English language.
An asshole political leader describing something as Orwellian, when what they mean is totalitarian, is in itself Orwellian.
Orwellian by FrenchOfFry June 11, 2019

Orwellian 

Along with Hitler, Toxic, or Nazi. This word is overused to the point it's lost the real meaning
This is how Orwellian used:

Proper use: Using "Orwellian" for labelling something authoritarian and dishonest
Kinda misused: Using "Orwellian" to label everything authoritarian
Completely misused: Using "Orwellian" to label someone/something they don't like
Orwellian by Sir. B June 4, 2022

Orwellian 

Typically used in conjunction with an opinion that you don't like. The term "Orwellian" could also be used to simply describe the use of the phrase "This is just like 1984".

The use of the word is not derived from the implication of the word, which is in reference to the book 1984 by George Orwell. Orwellian may be used to describe the suppression of opinions and actions, or an overbearing rule or system, a major theme in the novel.
Moderator: Please do not announce to the server when you are going to masturbate.
User: This is so Orwellian.

User 1: I do not agree with your opinion
User 2: Orwellian. Actually Orwellian. This is just like 1984.
Orwellian by UnderdeveloptCorrupt December 14, 2023
More from Urban Dictionary

Salad Days 

green inexperienced youthful judgement and cold blooded execution of those judgements.

Rashness with little concern of consequence.

Antony and Cleopatra. William Shakespeare

"My salad days,
When I was green in judgment, cold in blood."

- William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, 1.5
"How did you end up in jail?"

"Salad days, 'nuf said."
Salad Days by GilbyRFC0 October 7, 2011
Word of the Day on August 28, 2026

age gate 

An absolutely foolproof way to keep minors from viewing content deemed "too mature" for them to watch.
Billy: "So I was trying to watch some videos for an M rated game, and I ran into an age gate, so I put in my real birthday. SOMEHOW it managed to figure out that I am 12. CURSE YOU AGE GATE!!!"

Bill: "Fucking age gate! *quick scroll* THERE! I was born on January 1, 1904. Fuck you age gate."
age gate by Banja January 7, 2011
Word of the Day on August 27, 2026

board chow 

A)
The Crud that collects under the keys in a keyboard. Usually more severe in the keyboards of programmers and webmasters as they tend to spend a lot of time at the the computer and thus eat at their desk. Mainly affecting IBM Model M (clicly) style boards.

B)
Can also be used to gross out Non-Techie people
A)
Bill: want to go to the club?
Bob: No, I've got to clean out my board chow, keys are starting to stick.

B)
Bill: Want to go out to get a bite?
Bob: No, i am just going to have some of my board chow/
Bill: Whats' that?
Bob: The food scraps that collect in my keyboard; Want some?
Bill: *GAG* *HURL* *GAG*
board chow by BinaryHackerMan September 3, 2007
Word of the Day on August 26, 2026

young pup 

a young person, a young adult in their late teens/early 20s.
Ah, you're just a young pup at 23!
young pup by the dog May 30, 2006
Word of the Day on August 25, 2026
West Midlands slang word for rockers, bikers, greasers etc. In the late 1980s it was used by the UK music press to refer to a specific scene centered around the bands Pop Will Eat Itself and Crazyhead. The term never found favour with readers of 'the inkies' (Sounds, Melody Maker and the still extant NME) and was soon dropped. Now often used in predominantly working-class areas of the midlands and the north to mean someone who listens to rock-derived music and/or dresses in a manner that suggests they affiliate themselves with rock music of some kind.
Some grebo passed with Sabbath playing on his stereo.
The Poppies are at no. 17? God, a grebo band in the charts!
They're playing nu-metal now, bloody grebos!
grebo by cactuscat September 15, 2006
Word of the Day on August 24, 2026

TikTok Farlands

TikTok Farlands is a term to refer to videos that you see after scrolling for a long time. These videos can potentially be disturbing, or weird. Said videos can also have low likes, or low comments.
“I reached the TikTok Farlands bro
Word of the Day on August 23, 2026
Next