plural bros
1
informal : brother
… Tommy has a worldview that's larger than his baby bro's.Leah Rozen
2
US slang
a
: a male friend
hanging out with his bros
One quirky edge the Olympics haven't yet sanded away is the habit of extreme athletes to stick together. Like, no matter where we're from, we're all bros. That kind of thing.Devin Gordon et al.
b
used as a friendly way of addressing a man or boy
Hey, bro, what's up?
Catch you later, bro.
c
: a young male who is part of a group of similar male friends stereotypically characterized as hearty, athletic, self-confident, party-loving, etc.
The recent season of "Project Greenlight," on HBO, made explicit how resistant to race talk Hollywood can be, a stifling culture of bros bonding with mirror versions of themselves.Emily Nussbaum
These were nerds who could pass for bros on a dorm-room sofa …Ben McGrath
often used before another noun
It's the continuation of the bro culture. In my experience, in this world right now, white guys have an advantage. In their training, they've been given access and tools that I haven't. White men get behind each other and empower themselves.Tanya Holland

Examples of bro in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Not just by podcast bros, but by a government that’s actively stoking the divide for their own political gain. Reshma Saujani, Time, 19 May 2025 Pattinson, in a rare bad performance, just plays him as an unpleasant clueless bro. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 May 2025 Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Yousef, and Cory Michael Smith star as four tech moguls whose bro trip gets derailed after a global financial meltdown ensues. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 16 May 2025 The wealth that ordinary Americans hold in our public lands and waters is one of our country’s great equalizers, putting blue-collar wage workers on the same footing — literally — with CEOs and tech bros. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for bro

Word History

Etymology

by alteration

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bro was circa 1530

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bro.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bro. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

bro

noun
1
informal : brother sense 1
2
slang : brother sense 3
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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