Bruh
Bruh is an exclamation of disbelief, disappointment or exasperation, like “seriously?” or “come on.” It started as a casual form of “bro” or “brother” and is still used that way, too.
What does bruh mean?
On its own, “bruh” is a reaction. Someone says something ridiculous, a plan falls apart, or your friend makes an obvious mistake: “bruh.” The longer and flatter it’s said, “bruuuh,” the more exasperated it sounds.
It can also be a friendly way to address someone, like “bro” or “dude”: “Bruh, you have to see this.” Despite coming from “brother,” people use it with anyone, regardless of gender.
How to use bruh
- “You left the keys inside the car? Bruh.”
- “Bruh, that test was impossible.”
- “Bruh moment.” (a silly or frustrating moment)
- “Bruh, come look at this.”
“Bruh moment”
A “bruh moment” is a situation so dumb, awkward or frustrating that the only possible reaction is “bruh.” It’s a popular meme caption for fails and mishaps.
Where bruh comes from
Bruh is much older than the internet. Merriam-Webster labels it African American English and dates its first known use to 1894, describing it as a written form of a spoken alteration of “brother” (related to “Brer,” as in Brer Rabbit). It became a staple of memes, Vine videos and gaming chat in the 2010s.
Related terms
See more terms like this in our Gen Z slang dictionary.
Notes
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