Everyday Office Jargon · Associate level

"Head above water/ground"

"Head above water" (or "head above ground") means managing to survive or cope with a difficult situation, often financial strain or overwhelming workload, without failing completely.

Say this instead: getting by

How "Head above water/ground" shows up at work

Turns up when someone is asked how things are going and the honest answer is "barely." In budget reviews it softens the news that the team or the business is not drowning but is also not swimming anywhere in particular.

Buzzword

We're just trying to keep our head above water until the new funding round closes.

Plain English

We're just trying to stay afloat until the new funding round closes.

Corporate Rank: Associate · Category: Everyday Office Jargon

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