BRB Full Form

"Be Right Back" or BRB is used in online messaging and chatting when you have to leave your device to do something else temporarily. Mostly, BRB is used when there is a slight distraction or an activity that needs your attention for a very short while, like going to the washroom or answering the doorbell, or picking up an important call. It indicates to your conversation partner that they should wait for you to come back and respond.

Another idiomatic phrase that comes close to the idea of BRB is "hold that thought". If you use it with BRB, it suggests to the other person that there is something urgent that you have to attend to and then the conversation would be picked up from the same point where it was left.

BRB Origin

In internet chatrooms, the acronym BRB originated in the 1990s. When the IRC or Internet Relay Chat was just beginning, there was no way of setting a status as "away" or "offline". Then, in the direct messaging applications, that feature became a staple. People typed "BRB" to let the others in the chatroom know that they would be away from the computer for a brief period.

BRB: Online and in Chat

Most commonly, BRB is used while chatting or messaging with others. It can be used with friends, family members, colleagues, and even in professional scenarios. BRB is not always used as informal, unlike other internet acronyms. It can sometimes be used at work too.

The use of BRB might exceed the boundaries of the messaging apps or chatrooms. For instance, the on maintenance websites place a BRB sign on their website to let the visitors know that the site will soon be up and running. It must be kept in mind though, that in such a situation the time of BRB might be extended from just a few minutes.

Using BRB

BRB is used in a relatively straightforward manner. As it means "be right back", it can be easily substituted in scenarios where you'd use that phrase.

Here, we have a few examples of how to use BRB in conversation:

• “I am getting an urgent call. BRB.”
• “Please pause the movie? I’ll BRB.”
• “I need to go to the washroom. brb.”
• “Hold that thought; brb.”