This guide will give you all of the necessary information on the abbreviation WBY, including its meaning, usage, sentence examples, and more!
-
Kevin
-
March 20, 2021
-
Common Questions
Your writing, at its best
Compose bold, clear, mistake-free, writing with Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant
What is the definition of the abbreviation WBY?
According to Dictionary, WBY is an internet slang term that means “what about you.” The W stands for “what,” the B stands for “‘bout,” an abbreviated form of “about,” and the Y stands for “you.” Overall, this acronym can be used in place of the full form of the phrase “what bout you.” This phrase is used to ask a person a question in response to another question, according to Cyber Definitions. This can wither be used with or without a question mark.
This acronym is most commonly used in text messaging or on social media sites like Snapchat, Twitter, or Instagram. WBY is an initialism, which means that each individual letter is said out loud. Therefore, it would be pronounced “dubble-yoo-bee-wye” and not “wibby.” This acronym is not usually said aloud since it would not save one any time – saying “what bout you” is faster than WBY. Text speak and other chat acronyms are usually used to allow someone to type faster. A couple – like LOL and OMG – have made their way into being said aloud, but most are still reserved for text-only use.
There are numerous other WBY definitions. These are less common, but still accepted, and are listed by Acronym Finder and The Free Dictionary. One should exercise caution when using a different meaning than “what bout you” because that is the most well-known definition
- William Butler Yeats (Irish poet)
- Weatherby Ballistics
- Whidbey Island
- Wild Blue Yonder
Is WBY casual or formal?
WBY is an extremely casual chat texting phrase and should never be used in formal settings. This, along with all other slang terms, should only be reserved for use in texting conversations with casual friends or on social media. Avoid using these terms in professional or formal settings like negotiations, business emails, or letters. These can make one seem unprofessional or inexperienced. In the below example, the term WBY is used in an inappropriate context. It is followed by a revised version of the message.
In this example, Trish is scheduling an interview with potential new employee Tucker. Tucker emails Trish about availability.
BAD:
Hey Trish,
4pm tmw works 4 me WBY? I’m pretty free tho. I can make whenever work. Just LMK what works best 4 u n I’ll b there. Thx sm! Xcited 2 meet u in person.
-Tucker
GOOD:
Hi Trish,
4:00PM PST tomorrow works for me if you have availability then. Aside from that, I am fairly flexible and should be able to make my shift schedule to make your ideal time work. Let me know if that time works or if we should look to the following day. Looking forward to meeting in person. Thank you!
Best,
Tucker
Here, Tucker should avoid all chat and text slang and maintain proper email etiquette and professionalism. Tucker should show his interviewer that he knows how to be a business professional, and not sound like a casual texting conversation in these emails.
How can WBY be used in a sentence?
The internet subculture slang term WBY can be used in a variety of different circumstances to ask someone a question. Below are a few examples of circumstances in which it is appropriate to use the acronym WBY. In this first example, Tanner texts Missy after school.
Tanner: What’s up?
Missy: NM (not much), WBY?
Tanner: Just finished Ms. Prentiss’ homework. U done?
Missy: Almost! Y?
Tanner: Wanna watch a movie l8r? I think that new superhero movie just came out.
Missy: Yeah that sounds fun! Lemme finish this up and u wanna find the next screening?
Tanner: Sounds great.
Here, Missy uses WBY to ask Tanner what he is up to in response to him asking her what’s up. In this next example Missy texts Tanner the day after they see the movie.
Missy: Tanner can I ask u something?
Tanner: OFC (of course), anything.
Missy: That movie last night… was that a date?
Tanner: Did u want it to be a date?
Missy: IDK, WBY?
Tanner: Only if you did.
Missy: I did.
Tanner: So are we… dating? Or was that just a date?
Missy: That’s up to u. 😉
Here, Missy also uses WBY to ask Tanner if he also considered their outing the previous night a date. OVerall, WBY can be used in almost any casual circumstance to ask someone about their day, what they are doing, or any number of other possible questions. It is an extremely common phrase and is very versatile.
What are synonyms of the acronym WBY?
There are a few other acronyms that people can use in place of WBY that have similar meanings. There are also a few phrases that people can use that are not acronyms that are similar to WBY. One should avoid using these other acronyms in professional or formal settings as well, as these slang words are never appropriate to use in non-casual situations.
- HBY – How Bout You? Or How About You?
- HBU – How Bout U? Or How About U?
- WBU – What Bout U? Or What About U?
- And you?
- And yourself?
- How about yourself?
Overall, the acronym WBY stands for “what bout you” or “what about you?” This acronym is used to ask a person a question in response to another question, often to get to know a person better or to ask what a person is doing. This is a very casual term and should never be used in professional or formal settings.
Sources:
