The Meaning of BFF: What It Is and How To Use It

Have you seen the term BFF used on the internet or in text messaging and wondered what it meant? This article will cover the meaning of BFF.

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BFF is a commonly used term on the internet and in text messaging. What does this term mean, and what are its alternate definitions? This article will provide the definition of BFF, translations, synonyms, antonyms, and alternate meanings. 

What Does BFF Stand For?

According to The Free Dictionary, BFF stands for best friend forever. BFF is predominantly seen on the internet or in text messaging, in either uppercase or lowercase letters. The shorthand BFF is mostly used by women and teenage girls. It should not be confused with the abbreviation BF, which stands for boyfriend, or GF, which stands for girlfriend. 

The term BFF is an initialism, which means that it uses the initial letters of best friend forever to make the abbreviation. 

What Is the History of BFF? 

The word BFF has grown in popularity due to instant message services, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, text messages, and more.

Some famous BFFs in pop culture include Spongebob and Patrick on Spongebob, Molly and Issa on Insecure, and Blair and Serena on Gossip Girl. In each episode, we see their close friendship and its trials. 

BFF is usually not used in real-life conversation and is just a quick way to refer to good friends when IM-ing or on social networks

What Are Translations of BFF?

If you need to describe your best friend to people in other countries, use this list of translations of best friend from Nice Translator!

  • Basque: lagun mina
  • Swahili: rafiki wa dhati
  • Lithuanian: geriausias draugas
  • Spanish: mejor amigo
  • Bengali: ভাল বন্ধু
  • Latvian: labākais draugs
  • Telugu: ఆప్త మిత్రుడు
  • Hungarian: legjobb barát
  • Serbian: најбољи пријатељ
  • Chinese (Taiwan): 最好的朋友
  • French: meilleur ami
  • Estonian: parim sõber
  • Slovenian: najboljši prijatelj
  • Chinese (PRC): 最好的朋友
  • Welsh: ffrind gorau
  • Marathi: सर्वोत्कृष्ट मित्र
  • Hebrew: חבר הכי טוב
  • Amharic: የልብ ጓደኛ
  • Kannada: ಅತ್ಯುತ್ತಮ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತ
  • Romanian: cel mai bun prieten
  • Hindi: सबसे अच्छा दोस्त
  • Tamil: சிறந்த நண்பர்
  • Arabic: أفضل صديق
  • Croatian: najbolji prijatelj
  • Slovak: najlepší priateľ
  • Catalan: millor amic
  • Vietnamese: bạn tốt nhất
  • German: bester Freund
  • Icelandic: besti vinur
  • Indonesian: sahabat
  • Malay: kawan baik
  • Danish: bedste ven
  • Japanese: 親友
  • Thai: เพื่อนรัก
  • Dutch: beste vriendin
  • Ukrainian: найкращий друг
  • Russian: лучший друг
  • Portuguese (Portugal): melhor amigo
  • Malayalam: ആത്മ സുഹൃത്ത്
  • Greek: ο καλύτερος φίλος
  • Korean: 가장 친한 친구
  • Portuguese (Brazil): melhor amigo
  • Czech: nejlepší přítel
  • Turkish: en iyi arkadaş
  • Italian: migliore amico
  • Swedish: bästa vän
  • Polish: najlepszy przyjaciel.
  • Gujarati: શ્રેષ્ઠ મિત્ર
  • Finnish: paras ystävä
  • Norwegian: bestevenn
  • Urdu: سب سے اچھی دوست
  • Bulgarian: най-добър приятел
  • Filipino: matalik na kaibigan

What Are Synonyms of BFF?

If using an acronym is not appropriate, you can use one of these synonyms of best friend from  Power Thesaurus in place of BFF. 

  • ally
  • alter ego
  • amigo
  • associate
  • best bud
  • best buddy
  • best mate
  • best pal
  • bestie
  • bezzie
  • bosom buddy
  • bosom friend
  • bosom pal
  • bro
  • brother
  • bruv
  • buddy
  • chum
  • classmate
  • close friend
  • closest friend
  • compadre
  • companion
  • compeer
  • comrade
  • confidant
  • confidante
  • crony
  • faithful friend
  • familiar
  • fellow
  • first mate
  • friend
  • friend for life
  • gabba
  • good friend
  • great friend
  • homeboy
  • homegirl
  • homie
  • intimate
  • intimate friend
  • lifelong friend
  • loyal friend
  • main man
  • mate
  • mucker
  • number one buddy
  • oppo
  • paisan
  • pal
  • playfellow
  • playmate
  • schoolmate
  • second self
  • sidekick
  • sister
  • soul mate
  • soul sister
  • soulmate
  • spar
  • special friend
  • very close friend
  • very good friend
  • workmate

What Are Antonyms of BFF?

To refer to someone who is the opposite of your BFF, use an antonym from Power Thesaurus.

  • adversary
  • adverse
  • aggressor
  • anathemas
  • antagonist
  • antagonistic
  • antagonists
  • anti
  • antis
  • archenemy
  • assailant
  • assaulter
  • attacker
  • bandit
  • battler
  • belligerents
  • bitter enemy
  • bogey
  • brawler
  • challenger
  • combatant
  • combatants
  • competition
  • competitor
  • contender
  • contestant
  • detractor
  • devil
  • disputant
  • duelist
  • enemy
  • entrant
  • foe
  • foeman
  • foes
  • gladiator
  • hostile
  • inimical
  • invader
  • litigants
  • militant
  • nemesis
  • opponent
  • opponents
  • opposer
  • opposers
  • opposing
  • opposing side
  • opposite
  • opposite numbers
  • opposition
  • pugilist
  • rival
  • rivalry
  • rivals
  • villain

What Are Other Meanings of BFF? 

The Free Dictionary also lists many alternate definitions for BFF that someone might use depending on their industry.

Meanings of BFF in Science & Technology

Check out these definitions of BFF in various STEM fields!

  • Bottom Field First (video field order)
  • Backup File Format
  • Bioexpression and Fermentation Facility (University of Georgia)
  • Browse for Folder
  • Bit-Map-Based First Fit
  • Binary File Format
  • Body Fixed Frame (physics)
  • Black Footed Ferret
  • Buffered Flip-Flop
  • Biotech Finance Forum
  • Below Finished Floor (architectural, mechanical drawings

Meanings of BFF in Business

If you work in business, you may hear these definitions for BFF around the watercooler:

  • Blanche Fischer Foundation
  • Boston Film Festival
  • Bangladesh Football Federation (est. 1972; governing body)
  • Books Found Fast (book retailer; UK)
  • Budget Formulation & Forecasting
  • Best Foam Fabricators, Inc. (Chicago, IL)
  • Belgische Federatie van Fotografen (Dutch: Belgian Federation of Photographers; Belgium)
  • Blueprint for the Future (National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation; Canada)
  • Brattle Film Foundation (Cambridge, MA)
  • Brake Fluid Flush (automotive)
  • Bicycle Film Festival (various locations)
  • Breckenridge Festival of Film (Breckenridge, CO)
  • BruksprovsFörarFörenigen
  • Bozeman Film Festival (Montana)
  • Badminton for Fun
  • Bradford Film Festival (UK)
  • British Farming Forum (UK)
  • Benchmark Format Form
  • Born Free Foundation
  • British Forces Foundation (UK)
  • Biblical Foundations for Freedom
  • Budget Friendly Food
  • Bags Fly Free (Southwest Airlines)
  • Basic Fire Fighting (course)
  • Bank Failure Friday

Meanings of BFF as Slang Terms

While BFF itself is a slang term, it has a few different meanings in casual conversations — but, usually, it’ll mean Best Friends Forever:

  • Barely Freaking Friends
  • Bring Friend and Family
  • Ben Folds Five (band)
  • Best Friends Funeral (senior slang)
  • Best Freakin Friend
  • Black Friend Forever
  • Bonsoir François Feldman (band)
  • Best Female Friend
  • Beyond Final Fantasy (gaming)
  • Boyfriend Forever
  • Best Facebook Friend
  • Best Frenemies Forever
  • Big Fat Friend
  • Best Foot Forward
  • Best Fan Forever
  • Best Friend Farted

Conclusion

The term BFF stands for best friend forever. This is used on the internet or in texting to refer to a person’s best friend.

Sources:

  1. Best Friend synonyms – 337 Words and Phrases for Best Friend | Power Thesaurus
  2. Enemy synonyms – 688 Words and Phrases for Enemy | Power Thesaurus 
  3. BFF – What does BFF stand for? | The Free Dictionary 
  4. Best Friend | Nice Translator