Slangora

jailbreak

A prompt that tricks an LLM into bypassing its safety training — making it output things it was specifically trained to refuse.

ˈdʒeɪl.breɪkDocumented since 2000s2000sGen ZtrendingCurrent344 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
⚡ Tech, Dev & AI
2 definitions
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Seen in the wild
4 citations · last seen May 2026

Etymology timeline

Born ~2007 · 1 year of recorded use
2007Born2026: 4 citationsToday, 2026
Late-Millennial / Web 2.0 eraSee decade cohort →

Seen in the wild

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#1·Apr 24, 2026Global

A prompt that tricks an LLM into bypassing its safety training — making it output things it was specifically trained to refuse. An ongoing cat-and-mouse game between researchers and model providers.

Origin: Tech / AI / developer industry term.
For parents

Jailbreak in tech means bypassing software restrictions: on a phone, removing Apple's locks; on an AI, tricking it into ignoring safety rules. If your teen jailbreaks their phone it can void warranties and create security risks. If they jailbreak AI models, they may be trying to access disallowed content; worth a conversation. If your kid uses it constantly, ask them where they first heard it, not to police their speech but to understand which online community they are in.

For ESL learners

Jailbreak in tech contexts means circumventing manufacturer or platform restrictions, originally on iPhones and more recently on AI models. Use the verb "to jailbreak" or the noun "a jailbreak." Formal equivalent: "to bypass security restrictions." Common non-native mistake: confusing the tech sense with the literal prison sense. Both share the metaphor of escape, but the tech sense is the dominant modern usage.

Cluster: ai_specific
Heard in the wild
  • “How do i save shsh on ios 8 iphone 5s passcode locked? #Jailbreak #iOS https://www.reddit.com/r/jailbreak/comments/1t4lhl9/how_do_i_save_shsh_on_ios_8_iphone_5s_passcode/”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Make iOS 15.8.7 look like iOS 9 (iPhone SE 2016) #Jailbreak #iOS https://www.reddit.com/r/jailbreak/comments/1t4l9z6/make_ios_1587_look_like_ios_9_iphone_se_2016/”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “desire to jailbreak phone intensifies”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “It would appear tat the ladies in our medical run are feeling better. This morning there was a jailbreak. Houdonna and Raptor are on the loose”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “As of March 2026, there is no public jailbreak for iOS 18 or iOS 26.”

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Global
#2·Apr 26, 2026Global

Originally: removing restrictions on iPhones to install unauthorized apps. Now also: getting an LLM to say things its safety training would normally prevent. Two related but distinct senses.

"He posted a new jailbreak prompt for ChatGPT."
Origin: Apple jailbreak originated 2007 with the iPhone; the LLM jailbreak sense emerged with ChatGPT in 2022-23.
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For specific readers

Jailbreak in tech means bypassing software restrictions: on a phone, removing Apple's locks; on an AI, tricking it into ignoring safety rules. If your teen jailbreaks their phone it can void warranties and create security risks. If they jailbreak AI models, they may be trying to access disallowed content; worth a conversation. If your kid uses it constantly, ask them where they first heard it, not to police their speech but to understand which online community they are in.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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⚡About Tech, Dev & AI slang

The vocabulary of software engineers, AI researchers, and anyone living in a terminal or on GitHub — from LLM to MCP, CORS to vibe coding, agentic to enshittification.

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