Words / C1

FAHS/fɑːs/

A farce is a ridiculous, chaotic situation that fails its own rules; also a comic play built on absurd mix-ups. A mess is everyday; a shambles is a close twin; satire (already in the dictionary) criticises through humour on purpose. Do not rebrand an unstaffed sitting as lean delivery.

Meaning

A ridiculous, badly organised situation; also a comic play based on absurd events.

Examples

• “An unstaffed sitting is a farce, not a “lean delivery model”.”
• “Mess is everyday. Fiasco stresses collapse after hype. Comedy is the theatre sense. Lean is an operations claim that needs a rota. No named invigilator is a failed sitting. Keep the word; drop the slogan.”

Good to know

An absurd mess (or an absurd comedy). Everyday: mess. Close: fiasco. Contrast: satire (already in the dictionary). Unstaffed ≠ lean.

Near in meaning

fiasco

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