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.
Good on them for taking advantage of their opportunities to ask Mel the tough questions, while the men were all bro-ing out with the former NFL player! Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025 The Prometheus story as interpreted in this alt-right, tech bro fantasy isn’t the only reading of the myth, of course. James Folta, Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025 Next up is Royd (Tanoai Reed), a hulking tech guy with a chill bro Samoan vibe. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2025 Working double duty as stars and creators, Hadel voices Charlie, a bro-ish yellow blob creature, and Cusack voices Pim, a well-mannered chap who looks like a cross between a school boy and a grape. Jack Dunn, Variety, 20 Oct. 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 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

bro

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