ONB (or onb) is an abbreviation that can be short for several different phrases used in texting and social media like Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, and more.
The first one is “on bro,” and it is a phrase used when someone wants to confirm they are being honest by swearing on someone dear (in this case, a bro).
Another possible meaning of onb is “outward nose breath,” a phenomenon that occurs when someone wants to laugh but tries to stifle their laughter. People use onb in this context to show that something was really funny.
Onb can also mean “old news, bro,” and people use it when someone tells them something they already know.
Let’s see each meaning and how to use them in detail.
1. On Bro
If the text conversation involves assurances, promises, or confessions, and “ONB” appears, it’s mostly interpreted as “on bro,” which means “trust me”.
So if you want to use “ONB” as in “on bro” to show you’re being sincere or to emphasize that what you’re saying is true, you can say something like “Onb, I’m telling you the truth…”
Here are some use examples:
- “ONB, this is not what it looks like. Let me explain.”
- “You have to believe me, onb, I’ve never lied to you.”
- “I swear onb, I’ll pay you back by next week.”
- “He might deny it, but onb, I saw him there with my own eyes.”
Alternatives and Variations
If you want to say something similar to “on bro,” but you don’t want to use onb, you can use these alternatives instead:
- ONG – On God
- ISTG – I Swear To God
- NGL – Not Gonna Lie
- No cap – No lie
- FS – for sure
- Honest to God
- On my honor
- Cross my heart
2. Outward Nose Breath
If the conversation is based around a joke, a funny video, or any humorous content, and someone responds you with “ONB,” it’s probably used in the sense of “outward nose breath,” indicating that the content was amusing.
If you want to use onb as in “outward nose breath, you can write something like “ONB! That is so funny, I can’t breathe!”
Here are some use examples:
- “Just saw the meme you sent, ONB, I’m cracking up in the library!”
- “ONB, that joke was unexpectedly hilarious!”
- “Watched the cat video, and it was a total ONB moment!”
Alternatives and Variations
If you want to describe an intense laughter similar to “outward nose breath,” but without using on, you have plenty of options:
- LOL – Laughing out Loud
- LMAO – Laughing My Ass Off
- ROFL – Rolling On the Floor Laughing
- any of the laughing emojis
3. Old News, Bro
If you’re talking about a revelation or a piece of gossip, and the response is “ONB,” it’s likely to mean “old news, bro.”
And, if you want to use onb as in “old news, bro,” you can say something like “Onb! He already told me everything!”
Here are some use examples:
- “You’re telling me they broke up? ONB, heard about it days ago.”
- “ONB, I saw that movie when it first came out.”
- “Yeah, ONB, she’s been promoted, told me last week.”
Other Meanings
Apart from these most common meanings, onb can also mean several other things, some of which are:
- On Board
- Online Notice Board
- Olfactory NeuroBlastoma
Conclusion
ONB is a versatile acronym that can mean several different things in texting and social media, such as “on bro,” “outward nose breath,” and “old news bro.” As such, it can be either used to emphasize your honesty, to describe how funny you found something to be, or to say you already know something.
So, how should you know what onb means when you receive a message with it? When an acronym has so many different meanings, that might seem confusing at first. However, the context of the conversation will help you figure out the exact meaning.
