diff --git a/builtin/common/chatcommands.lua b/builtin/common/chatcommands.lua
index e8955c6b4..52edda659 100644
--- a/builtin/common/chatcommands.lua
+++ b/builtin/common/chatcommands.lua
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ end
 
 if INIT == "client" then
 	core.register_chatcommand("help", {
-		params = gettext("[all/<cmd>]"),
+		params = gettext("[all | <cmd>]"),
 		description = gettext("Get help for commands"),
 		func = function(param)
 			return do_help_cmd(nil, param)
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ if INIT == "client" then
 	})
 else
 	core.register_chatcommand("help", {
-		params = "[all/privs/<cmd>]",
+		params = "[all | privs | <cmd>]",
 		description = "Get help for commands or list privileges",
 		func = do_help_cmd,
 	})
diff --git a/builtin/game/chatcommands.lua b/builtin/game/chatcommands.lua
index 3dfc29ffa..183e06a03 100644
--- a/builtin/game/chatcommands.lua
+++ b/builtin/game/chatcommands.lua
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("admin", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("privs", {
-	params = "<name>",
+	params = "[<name>]",
 	description = "Print privileges of player",
 	func = function(caller, param)
 		param = param:trim()
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ local function handle_grant_command(caller, grantname, grantprivstr)
 end
 
 core.register_chatcommand("grant", {
-	params = "<name> <privilege>|all",
+	params = "<name> (<privilege> | all)",
 	description = "Give privilege to player",
 	func = function(name, param)
 		local grantname, grantprivstr = string.match(param, "([^ ]+) (.+)")
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("grant", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("grantme", {
-	params = "<privilege>|all",
+	params = "<privilege> | all",
 	description = "Grant privileges to yourself",
 	func = function(name, param)
 		if param == "" then
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("grantme", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("revoke", {
-	params = "<name> <privilege>|all",
+	params = "<name> (<privilege> | all)",
 	description = "Remove privilege from player",
 	privs = {},
 	func = function(name, param)
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("remove_player", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("teleport", {
-	params = "<X>,<Y>,<Z> | <to_name> | <name> <X>,<Y>,<Z> | <name> <to_name>",
+	params = "<X>,<Y>,<Z> | <to_name> | (<name> <X>,<Y>,<Z>) | (<name> <to_name>)",
 	description = "Teleport to player or position",
 	privs = {teleport=true},
 	func = function(name, param)
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("teleport", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("set", {
-	params = "[-n] <name> <value> | <name>",
+	params = "([-n] <name> <value>) | <name>",
 	description = "Set or read server configuration setting",
 	privs = {server=true},
 	func = function(name, param)
@@ -468,9 +468,9 @@ local function emergeblocks_progress_update(ctx)
 end
 
 core.register_chatcommand("emergeblocks", {
-	params = "(here [radius]) | (<pos1> <pos2>)",
+	params = "(here [<radius>]) | (<pos1> <pos2>)",
 	description = "Load (or, if nonexistent, generate) map blocks "
-		.. "contained in area pos1 to pos2",
+		.. "contained in area pos1 to pos2 (<pos1> and <pos2> must be in parentheses)",
 	privs = {server=true},
 	func = function(name, param)
 		local p1, p2 = parse_range_str(name, param)
@@ -494,8 +494,9 @@ core.register_chatcommand("emergeblocks", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("deleteblocks", {
-	params = "(here [radius]) | (<pos1> <pos2>)",
-	description = "Delete map blocks contained in area pos1 to pos2",
+	params = "(here [<radius>]) | (<pos1> <pos2>)",
+	description = "Delete map blocks contained in area pos1 to pos2 "
+		.. "(<pos1> and <pos2> must be in parentheses)",
 	privs = {server=true},
 	func = function(name, param)
 		local p1, p2 = parse_range_str(name, param)
@@ -513,8 +514,9 @@ core.register_chatcommand("deleteblocks", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("fixlight", {
-	params = "(here [radius]) | (<pos1> <pos2>)",
-	description = "Resets lighting in the area between pos1 and pos2",
+	params = "(here [<radius>]) | (<pos1> <pos2>)",
+	description = "Resets lighting in the area between pos1 and pos2 "
+		.. "(<pos1> and <pos2> must be in parentheses)",
 	privs = {server = true},
 	func = function(name, param)
 		local p1, p2 = parse_range_str(name, param)
@@ -661,7 +663,7 @@ core.register_on_punchnode(function(pos, node, puncher)
 end)
 
 core.register_chatcommand("rollback_check", {
-	params = "[<range>] [<seconds>] [limit]",
+	params = "[<range>] [<seconds>] [<limit>]",
 	description = "Check who last touched a node or a node near it"
 			.. " within the time specified by <seconds>. Default: range = 0,"
 			.. " seconds = 86400 = 24h, limit = 5",
@@ -714,7 +716,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("rollback_check", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("rollback", {
-	params = "<player name> [<seconds>] | :<actor> [<seconds>]",
+	params = "(<name> [<seconds>]) | (:<actor> [<seconds>])",
 	description = "Revert actions of a player. Default for <seconds> is 60",
 	privs = {rollback=true},
 	func = function(name, param)
@@ -806,8 +808,8 @@ core.register_chatcommand("days", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("shutdown", {
-	description = "Shutdown server",
-	params = "[delay_in_seconds (non-negative number, or -1 to cancel)] [reconnect] [message]",
+	params = "[<delay_in_seconds> | -1] [reconnect] [<message>]",
+	description = "Shutdown server (-1 cancels a delayed shutdown)",
 	privs = {server=true},
 	func = function(name, param)
 		local delay, reconnect, message = param:match("([^ ][-]?[0-9]+)([^ ]+)(.*)")
@@ -845,7 +847,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("ban", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("unban", {
-	params = "<name/ip>",
+	params = "<name> | <IP_address>",
 	description = "Remove IP ban",
 	privs = {ban=true},
 	func = function(name, param)
@@ -858,7 +860,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("unban", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("kick", {
-	params = "<name> [reason]",
+	params = "<name> [<reason>]",
 	description = "Kick a player",
 	privs = {kick=true},
 	func = function(name, param)
@@ -877,7 +879,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("kick", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("clearobjects", {
-	params = "[full|quick]",
+	params = "[full | quick]",
 	description = "Clear all objects in world",
 	privs = {server=true},
 	func = function(name, param)
@@ -923,7 +925,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("msg", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("last-login", {
-	params = "[name]",
+	params = "[<name>]",
 	description = "Get the last login time of a player",
 	func = function(name, param)
 		if param == "" then
@@ -940,7 +942,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("last-login", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("clearinv", {
-	params = "[name]",
+	params = "[<name>]",
 	description = "Clear the inventory of yourself or another player",
 	func = function(name, param)
 		local player