Acronym of the Day: FUBAR
Fubar or Fu**ed up beyond all recognition was first used during the Second World War in Europe.
Often the best-made plans did not work out during the war, and whatever they were trying to accomplish turned into a confusing situation very quickly.
Machines didn’t work, soldiers were delayed, or supplies were sent to the wrong destination. All of these things resulted in confusion, and the actual situation in the theatre of war looked nothing like the original plan.
When something is fubar, it very quickly becomes a snafu.
Just as a side note, some people prefer not to have a four-letter word in their vocabulary. If that’s the case for you, you can change the ‘f’ in fubar to ‘fouled.’
This way it is not offensive. Whether you prefer f***ed up beyond all recognition or fouled up beyond all recognition, the meaning is the same; it still means total confusion.