What does BRB mean?
BRB means be right back — a short notice that you are stepping away and will return. One of the oldest pieces of chat shorthand still in daily use.
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Acronym. Also written be right back.
Where it comes from
One of the oldest internet abbreviations, from IRC and instant messenger in the 1990s, when both parties were expected to be present in a conversation at the same time.
How it is actually used
Its original job — telling someone in a live conversation you would return — barely exists now that messaging is asynchronous and nobody expects an immediate reply. What survives is the joking use: "brb crying", "brb buying this", where the abbreviation frames an exaggerated reaction rather than an actual absence. That ironic use is now more common than the literal one.
Examples
- "brb, buying all of these"
- "brb crying about this update"
- "brb 5 mins"
Can a brand use it? Safe for brands
Harmless in both senses. The joking use is the one that works in a caption; the literal one now reads oddly formal.
Related terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What does BRB stand for?
Be right back — originally a notice that you were briefly leaving a live chat.
Do people still use BRB literally?
Rarely. Messaging stopped being synchronous, so nobody is waiting. The surviving use is joking — "brb crying" frames a reaction rather than an absence.
What is the difference between BRB and AFK?
AFK means away from keyboard and implies a longer or less defined absence. BRB promises a quick return.
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