Charlie Foxtrot

Complete operational failure

Charlie Foxtrot is military slang for a situation gone disastrously wrong—a complete mess.

The phrase uses the NATO phonetic alphabet to stand for the initials CF, a euphemism for "cluster fuck." It allows soldiers to describe chaos in polite company: The whole operation turned into a Charlie Foxtrot.

The term has spread to civilian use, especially in business and politics.

shamblesState of total disorder
wreckageDestroyed remains of something
snafuConfused, botched situation
Catch-22Self-defeating logical trap
disasterSudden ruinous event

total disaster · complete chaos · debacle · clusterfuck · shit show · goat rodeo · havoc · all hell broke loose · messed up · fiasco · train wreck · screwed up · disorganized · fucked up · FUBAR · Trainwreck · armed forces · NATO phonetic alphabet

Opposites

operational outcome

Charlie Foxtrotsuccess

Favorable outcome attained

mission accomplished · smooth sailing · flawless execution · triumph · home run

organizational state

Charlie Foxtrotorder

Methodical arrangement or request

harmony · coordination · efficiency · organization · discipline

Family

Charlie, trot, trots, trotted, trotting, trotter

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Mostly American · Timeless · Abstract · Negative · Rated PG-13