diplospeak

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noun

Diplomatic language; The careful use of euphemism and noncontroversial language to obscure points that might cause contention.

Scrabble 19

Meanings

noundiplospeak (uncountable)

alternative diplo-speak

  1. uncountableDiplomatic language; The careful use of euphemism and noncontroversial language to obscure points that might cause contention.

    Following his August 2007 talks with President Bush in Washington, Brown fell back on coded diplospeak in their joint press conference.

    2008, John E. Owens, John Dumbrell, America's "war on Terrorism":, page 245
    3 more examples

    And he knows how to cut through the diplospeak: when Clinton politely asked Russia's Boris Yeltsin for his views on a Caspian Sea gas deal proposed by Chevron Oil.

    1994, Newsweek - Volume 124, Issues 10-18, page 134

    The hard-driving Cushing carried the title of "American Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary" — diplospeak for President Tyler's man on the spot.

    2001, Jose Armilla, Negotiate with Feng Shui, page 124

    I defended our policy with journalists and critics, one night engaging in a “frank exchange of views”—to use the diplospeak I would later master as a U.S. ambassador —with Washington Post columnist Bob Kagan and New York Times columnist David Brooks on the merits of our approach.

    2018, Michael McFaul, From Cold War to Hot Peace
Cite this entry
APA

diplospeak. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/diplospeak

MLA

“diplospeak.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/diplospeak. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “diplospeak,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/diplospeak.

Source: diplospeak on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.