BFF means 'best friend forever'. It's used for your closest friend, as in 'she's my BFF', and it's one of the few texting abbreviations that also works out loud. Cambridge Dictionary defines it as a way of referring to a person's best friend, and here's what most people miss: the dictionaries don't agree on when it started, with Merriam-Webster dating it to 1978 and Dictionary.com to the late 1990s.
BFF is warm, a little playful and instantly understood. You'll see it in bios, birthday posts, friendship necklaces and group chat names. It also has a sarcastic side in news and politics. Here's what BFF means, where it came from, how people use it today, and the related slang you'll come across.
Best friend forever, defined
Cambridge Dictionary gives the simplest version: BFF is an abbreviation for 'best friend forever', a way of referring to a person's best friend. Dictionary.com marks it as informal and defines it as a person's best friend, adding that it's typically used of a girl's best friend and sometimes used facetiously, meaning jokingly.
Dictionary.com also gives a plural, BFFs, with the example 'I really miss my bffs'. So you can have more than one, even if the word 'best' suggests otherwise.
1978 or the late 1990s?
This is the detail I found most interesting. Merriam-Webster says the first known use of BFF was in 1978. Dictionary.com says it was first recorded in 1995 to 2000, from the initial letters of 'best friend' or 'friends forever'.
Dictionaries often disagree on first dates, because each one relies on the earliest example its editors have found. It does tell you something useful, though: BFF is older than smartphones and older than most social media. It was around long before it became a texting staple.
The political and business sense
Dictionary.com lists a second meaning: one's close associate, ally or supporter. Its example is pointed: 'the oil lobby and its bff's in Congress'. In this sense, BFF is often used with a raised eyebrow, suggesting two parties are a little too cosy.
You'll see this in headlines about politicians, companies and celebrities who seem to back each other at every turn. It's not about friendship at all. It's about alliances.
How people use BFF today
Here's where BFF tends to show up and how it reads:
| Where | Example | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Bios and captions | 'Coffee with my BFF' | Warm, affectionate |
| Birthday posts | 'Happy birthday to my BFF' | Celebratory |
| Jokes | 'My new BFF' about a helpful stranger | Playful, facetious |
| News and politics | 'The CEO and his new BFF' | Sarcastic, about alliances |
| Spoken | 'We're total BFFs' | Casual, often fun |
Dictionary.com's own example shows the playful sense: 'Cheryl in Customer Service called twice today, she's my new BFF.' Nobody thinks Cheryl is a lifelong friend. She's just been helpful.
BFF on Snapchat and other apps
BFF thinking runs through social apps too. Snapchat, for example, shows friend emojis that reflect how much you message certain people, and its best friends list is a regular source of curiosity and the occasional argument. My guide to the Snapchat best friends list explains how that works.
Outside apps, BFF is still the go-to label in captions. Many people use it once in a bio for one special person, which makes it feel more meaningful than a list of tags.
These are made-up messages to show how it's used, not real chats:
- 'Road trip with my BFF this weekend!' Affectionate.
- 'Happy birthday to my BFF of ten years.' Celebrating a long friendship.
- 'The barista remembered my order, new BFF.' Playful.
- 'Those two senators are BFFs now.' Sarcastic.
BFF and its cousins
There are plenty of best-friend terms, each with its own flavour:
- Bestie: warm and very common, especially in speech.
- Ride or die: a loyal friend who sticks with you through anything.
- Pookie: an affectionate nickname, often for a partner or close friend.
- Day one: a friend who's been there from the start.
If you've seen 'pookie' in comments and wondered how affectionate the word is, my guide to what pookie means covers it.
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BFF in birthday posts and bios
BFF does its best work in captions. A birthday post that starts 'Happy birthday to my BFF' tells everyone who this person is to you before they read another word. Adding how long you've known each other, such as 'my BFF since we were seven', turns a generic label into a story, and those are the posts friends screenshot and keep.
In bios, BFF is often paired with a tag, so followers can find the friend's account. It's warm, but it's also public, so it's worth checking your friend is happy to be named. Some people prefer to keep their closest friendships offline, and that's fine too.
A small tip if you're writing a card rather than a post: BFF can look a bit casual in handwriting. 'To my best friend' in full often feels more personal on paper, while BFF suits the speed of social media.
And if a friendship has cooled, you don't need to edit old posts that call someone your BFF. They're a record of a time that mattered, and most people understand that friendships change.
BFF also works as a gentle joke between partners or siblings, which shows how flexible the label has become. The warmth is what matters, not the exact relationship.
Whichever word you choose, the label works best when it's backed by the friendship itself: the calls, the visits and the small favours.
My take on BFF
BFF is a lovely, simple label, and it's aged better than most abbreviations because people still say it out loud. Use it for the friend who really is your person, enjoy the playful 'new BFF' joke when someone saves your day, and spot the sarcastic political sense when you read the news.
Frequently asked questions
What does BFF mean?
Best friend forever, a label for your closest friend.
When did BFF start?
Merriam-Webster dates its first known use to 1978, while Dictionary.com says it was first recorded in 1995 to 2000.
Can you have more than one BFF?
Yes. Dictionary.com lists the plural BFFs.
What does BFF mean in politics?
A close ally or supporter, often used sarcastically about people who seem too cosy.
Is BFF only for girls?
No. Dictionary.com says it's typically used of a girl's best friend, but anyone can use it.
