What is snafu?

SNAFU is a military slang term and a general idiom that stands for Situation Normal: All Fucked Up (or "Fouled Up"). It's used to describe a situation that is chaotic, confusing, or otherwise not going according to plan, but is nonetheless considered to be normal or expected.

It implies a level of acceptance or resignation that such situations are simply part of the experience, whether it's in the military, a business, or any other organization.

The term emphasizes the paradox of something being both dysfunctional and typical. The related terms are:

• FUBAR (Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition/Repair) which signifies a more severe state of disarray.
• TARFU (Things Are Really Fucked Up)
• SUSFU (Situation Unsatisfactory, Still Fucked Up).