Meaning & use
brb in chatting
Last updated
Meanings
abbreviationfixed phraseinformal
A short way of writing 'be right back', used in online chats to say you are leaving for a moment.
Grammar: Stands alone as a whole message; you can add a reason after it, as in 'brb, phone call'.
Patterns
- brb
- brb, + reason
- brb in a minute
I'm brb in chatting when I say I'll grab a drink and come straight back.
She typed 'brb' in the group chat and returned five minutes later.
If you write brb in chatting, everyone knows you are still there but busy.
phraseidiominformal
Used in text or online talk to mean the writer is stepping away briefly and will return to the conversation.
Grammar: Common in instant messages and comments; in formal writing, spell out 'I will be right back'.
Patterns
- say brb
- type brb
- brb for a moment
People often use brb in chatting apps rather than writing the full words.
He sent 'brb' and came back with a cup of tea.
In chatting, brb usually means the person has not left the conversation for good.
Common combinations
- brb in chatting
- Saying brb in chatting is quicker than typing the whole phrase.
- brb, be right back
- She wrote 'brb, be right back' so nobody would think she had gone.
- type brb
- He typed brb and put his phone down for a second.
- brb for a minute
- I'll be brb for a minute while I answer the door.
- brb in a chat
- Using brb in a chat is normal among friends.
Synonyms and how they differ
- be right back
- The full phrase; use it when you want to be clear or slightly more formal than brb.
- back in a sec
- Also informal and means a very short absence, but it is not an abbreviation.
- afk
- Another chat abbreviation meaning 'away from keyboard'; it suggests you are not at your device, while brb suggests you will return soon.
Word family
- be right back phrase
- The full expression that brb stands for.
Commonly confused: brb in chatting or bbl? brb in chatting or btw?
brb in chatting vs bbl
Another chat abbreviation, meaning 'be back later'; it suggests a longer absence than brb.
brb in chatting vs btw
A different chat abbreviation, meaning 'by the way'; it introduces extra information, not a short absence.
Practice
A friend messages you: 'brb, someone's at the door.' What does brb tell you?
Choose one answer.
brb stands for 'be right back', so it signals a short absence and a quick return. It does not mean leaving for good, and it says nothing about calling or being upset.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “brb in chatting”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.