mushroom syndrome

noun

The practice of being supplied with little or no information and often instead intentionally supplied with misinformation.

“We never heard about those changes coming, and were told everything would be staying the same. Typical mushroom syndrome from management again.”

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Meanings

nounmushroom syndrome (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe practice of being supplied with little or no information and often instead intentionally supplied with misinformation.

    We never heard about those changes coming, and were told everything would be staying the same. Typical mushroom syndrome from management again.

Origin

A humorous metaphor about the cultivation of mushrooms, in that they are "given shit and kept in the dark".

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

mushroom syndrome. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mushroom%20syndrome

MLA

“mushroom syndrome.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mushroom%20syndrome. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mushroom syndrome,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mushroom%20syndrome.

Source: mushroom syndrome on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.