broken telephone

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "broken telephone" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe a situation where a message is passed along a chain of people and becomes distorted or altered in the process. Example: "During the meeting, we played a game of broken telephone to illustrate how easily information can be miscommunicated."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Anyone who has ever played the game called broken telephone will understand why.

The New York Times - Books

But, they only really know the shitty broken telephone version of you.

Vice

The room had a broken telephone, a narrow bed and a plastic chair.

The New York Times

Once, at a party, I crawled under a table to fix a broken telephone socket.

The Guardian - Music

For playing this misleading game of broken telephone, Trump earns Four Pinocchios.

The Washington Post

And this is all before the information enters the broken telephone line.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

And at the Otero County Processing Center in New Mexico, inspectors found several broken telephones.

The Washington Post

Ms. Gutmann has written a highly charged polemic that rips through public relations cant like a tank breaking telephone poles.

The New York Times - Books

They went to each office, went through all the files, and broke telephones," Jali said.

Vice

Whitlam was dismissive and after the meeting broke, telephoned Kerr to tell him that he needed an appointment to advise him to hold a half-Senate election.

Wikipedia

Peggy Guggenheim's first husband broke a telephone in a jealous rage.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "broken telephone" to illustrate how easily information can be distorted when passed through multiple sources, especially in scenarios involving gossip or hearsay.

Common error

Avoid using "broken telephone" to describe a straightforward misunderstanding between two people. The phrase is more appropriate when the message is passed through a chain of individuals, leading to cumulative distortion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "broken telephone" primarily functions as a noun phrase, often used metaphorically to describe a situation where information is distorted or altered as it is passed from one person to another. As Ludwig AI suggests, this is a common idiom for miscommunication.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

30%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "broken telephone" is a common and understandable idiom used to describe the distortion of information as it passes through multiple sources. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. While generally appropriate for neutral to informal contexts, more formal alternatives may be preferable in academic or professional settings. The examples Ludwig provides illustrate its usage in news, media, and general discussions, emphasizing the importance of verifying information and being cautious of second-hand accounts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Chinese whispers

A synonymous idiom describing the distortion of a message through repeated retelling.

distorted message

Focuses on the alteration of the message itself during transmission.

garbled communication

Emphasizes the unclear and confused nature of the communication process.

distorted account

Highlights that the story or version of events has been altered.

misinformation cascade

Highlights the rapid spread and amplification of incorrect information.

erroneous report

Emphasizes that the information presented is factually incorrect.

unclear transmission

Stresses the lack of clarity in how the information is conveyed.

faulty relay of information

Points to a failure in the process of passing information from one point to another.

rumor mill

Indicates a source of unverified information that spreads quickly.

hearsay

Refers to information received from others that may not be reliable.

FAQs

How can I use "broken telephone" in a sentence?

You can use "broken telephone" to describe how a message gets distorted through multiple retellings. For example, "The story became a game of "broken telephone", with each person adding their own embellishments."

What's a synonym for the idiom "broken telephone"?

A common synonym is "Chinese whispers", which carries the same meaning of a message becoming increasingly distorted as it's passed from person to person.

Is it appropriate to use "broken telephone" in a formal setting?

While understandable, "broken telephone" is generally considered informal. In formal contexts, consider using phrases like "misinformation cascade" or "distorted communication".

What causes the "broken telephone" effect?

The "broken telephone" effect occurs due to factors like misinterpretation, selective memory, embellishment, and the desire to make a story more interesting as it's retold.