diff --git a/Documentation/git-checkout.txt b/Documentation/git-checkout.txt
index 8bdfa54ab0..bf26655764 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-checkout.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-checkout.txt
@@ -290,10 +290,10 @@ Note that this option uses the no overlay mode by default (see also
 `--overlay`), and currently doesn't support overlay mode.
 
 --ignore-other-worktrees::
-	`git checkout` refuses when the wanted ref is already checked
-	out by another worktree. This option makes it check the ref
-	out anyway. In other words, the ref can be held by more than one
-	worktree.
+	`git checkout` refuses when the wanted branch is already checked
+	out or otherwise in use by another worktree. This option makes
+	it check the branch out anyway. In other words, the branch can
+	be in use by more than one worktree.
 
 --overwrite-ignore::
 --no-overwrite-ignore::
diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 9c30000d3a..c449558e66 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -1716,7 +1716,7 @@ static struct option *add_common_switch_branch_options(
 			   N_("update ignored files (default)"),
 			   PARSE_OPT_NOCOMPLETE),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "ignore-other-worktrees", &opts->ignore_other_worktrees,
-			 N_("do not check if another worktree is holding the given ref")),
+			 N_("do not check if another worktree is using this branch")),
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 	struct option *newopts = parse_options_concat(prevopts, options);