Put. The. Thesaurus. Down!

Decorative Wave

In today’s business world we fill slack messages, emails, and project proposals with words like: synergy, align, and traction. To sound more “professional,” we utilize words that we think are intricate; we use “corporate speak.” But let me ask you something. How well do you think the average American can read? You might think that since the majority of Americans graduated high school, we are decent readers.

You’d be wrong. While some estimates say that the average American can read at about a 7th or 8th grade reading level, others indicate that around 54% of US adults read below a 6th grade level. You may believe that you need fancy jargon to convey the importance of your message, but think of it this way: how meaningful is your message if no one can understand it? Or better yet, will people even bother to read your text if they have to think too hard to understand it?

Now, this isn’t to say that you should never use a complex word. If you know that your audience is filled with people who have higher educations, then go ahead, flex your knowledge of the English lexicon. But if you’re ever unsure of the target audience, put the thesaurus down!

Categories: Content

Alexander Thomas is a graduate student at Cornell University studying Industrial and Labor Relations. He has worked as an Area Manager for Amazon at several US sites and was part of a team which launched a state-of-the-art facility in Iowa during 2024. He enjoys strategic communications and has written for congressional candidates, technology consultants, and compliance and monitoring specialists.