abbreviation

brb

bee-ar-BEE

Brb (abbreviation) means used in chat and messaging to say you are stepping away for a moment and will return shortly. Example: “brb, someone's at the door”

abbreviation

internet slang Used in chat and messaging to say you are stepping away for a moment and will return shortly.

"brb, someone's at the door"

"She typed brb and went quiet for an hour."

How to Use Brb

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA quick way of saying I will be back in a minute.

When to use it

Informal, for messaging and gaming. Never use it in professional email or written work.

Memory tip

Usually written in lower case and left unpunctuated, on its own line.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

bbl → afk → ttyl →

Common pairings

brb, one sec afk brb

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “brb” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____, someone's at the door

Etymology

An initialism of be right back, from early online chat and messaging.

Origin: English

Synonyms

View more →

back in a sec one moment hold on

Related Words

wait survive grasp whoa persist persevere

Frequently Asked Questions

What does brb stand for?

It stands for be right back. It signals a short absence, typically a few minutes rather than the rest of the day.

What is the difference between brb and afk?

Brb means be right back and promises a quick return. Afk means away from keyboard and simply states that you are not at your device, with no promise about how long. Gamers often pair them: brb afk.

Featured In

Vocabulary lists that include brb:

Words That End With B

People Also Searched

wait survive grasp whoa persist persevere