RBF
2 synonyms for RBF, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Resting bitch face: a naturally neutral facial expression that other people read as angry, bored or unimpressed even when the person feels nothing of the kind.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
resting bitch face
RBF face
How to use RBF
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
have RBF
chronic RBF
RBF energy
Slang; the unabbreviated form contains a swear word, so the initialism is used in mixed company.
Etymology
An initialism of resting bitch face, an internet-era coinage that spread widely in the 2010s.
Full origin of RBF →Frequently asked questions
What does RBF actually mean?
It stands for resting bitch face and describes the involuntary look someone's face settles into at rest, which strangers misread as hostility or contempt. It says nothing about the person's mood; the whole point is the mismatch between face and feeling.
Is RBF an insult?
It can be, and it is applied to women far more than to men, which is why some people object to it. Many use it self-deprecatingly about themselves, where it functions as an explanation rather than a jibe.
Is there a male equivalent of RBF?
"Resting jerk face" and "resting asshole face" are sometimes offered, but neither has caught on. In practice RBF is applied to men too, which is one reason the gendered original is now often just abbreviated.
