frat bois

Meanings

1. 1nounpluralinformalslangdisapproving

   Young men in a college fraternity, or men who behave like them, especially loud, privileged or immature ones.

   Grammar: Used as a plural noun; the singular form is "frat boy".

   Patterns

   • a group of frat bois
   • act like frat bois

   The party next door was full of frat bois shouting at the TV.

   She posted a video mocking the frat bois in her economics class.

2. 2nounpluralinformalslangdisapproving

   A mocking online label for men seen as entitled, rowdy and socially careless.

   Grammar: Common in comments and captions rather than in speech.

   Patterns

   • be called frat bois
   • those frat bois

   Commenters called the executives frat bois for ignoring the complaints.

   The meme shows a group of frat bois ruining a quiet café.

Word forms

Common combinations

loud frat bois

The loud frat bois kept the whole floor awake.

a bunch of frat bois

A bunch of frat bois took over the beach.

frat bois behavior

Critics described the prank as typical frat bois behavior.

online frat bois

Online frat bois turned the joke into a nasty campaign.

Synonyms and how they differ

frat boys

The standard spelling; it is neutral in form but can still carry a critical tone.

bro

Informal for a young man seen as rowdy or cliquey, but it does not mention a fraternity.

lads

British and often friendly rather than critical, so it does not fit a mocking comment.

Word family

frat noun

Informal short form of "fraternity", a student social club at a US college.

fraternity noun

The full, neutral word for this kind of student organization.

Commonly confused: frat bois or frat boy?

Practice

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