BSF – Its Meaning, Origin & Usage

The past two decades have seen text slang take over much of our vocabulary with “LOL” and “XD” being used in conversations to convey different meanings and to describe certain situations rather than just sharing them through text. 

“BSF” is one of these terms that may have initially started out as a quick and convenient way to abbreviate a word, but has quickly become the go-to phrase for many people now that it has hit the mainstream. 

But what does “BSF” actually mean? Here is all you need to know about this slang text phrase including its meaning, how it is used, and any other comparable terms and acronyms that mean similar things. 

The Meaning Of BSF

“BSF” is an acronym for best friend, and often refers to the person who you are closest to outside of your family. It is very commonly used among teenage girls, however, many boys will still use it along with adults as an easier and faster way to refer to someone as their best friend. 

Many people will also refer to other people as “BSF’s” if they notice that the two people have started becoming increasingly close and almost like sisters. In many cases, this term refers to an incredibly strong bond where the two people could almost be considered blood relatives in how alike they are, or because of how much time they spend together. 

Examples Of BSF

There are a few different scenarios where you could see or hear someone use the “BSF” acronym when referring to a close friend. Here are a few of the most common ways people will use this phrase:

Between Best Friends Over Text

Since it is still defined as texting slang, “BSF” can most often be seen used over text and primarily in messages between two close friends. 

While the phrase usually won’t appear in each and every message, it is used more often when someone is trying to reassure or care for someone else, such as checking on how they are after a break-up or when confirming that they do consider that other person to be their closest friend and almost like a brother or sister to them.

These are examples of how “BSF” could be used in this context:

– “I know it’s a difficult right now, but no matter what happens, you will always be my BSF”

– “There are definitely a lot of people I’m close to, but I consider you to be my BSF”

Describing A Relationship

While it is commonly used through text chat and messaging services, “BSF” can sometimes also be used in regular speech as a subtle way to describe how close two people have gotten. 

This is usually used either if two people have grown closer over a very short period, or if they have been best friends for quite some time and someone is using the acronym to describe how strong the relationship between the two is. 

A sentence using “BSF” in this context could be like this:

– “Lucy has been spending so much time with Katy recently, I think they might be BSF’s”

– “Shirley has been visiting Mary every day for a while now, they are BSF’s after all”

Other Ways To Say BSF

Another text slang term which is often interchangeable with “BSF” is “BFF” which is an acronym for best friends forever. Both refer to a strong relationship between two people, however another common term that refers to a best friend but that isn’t as serious and far more casual is “bestie” which people will often text and say a lot more freely in a sentence.

“Buddies” is another similar term, however, this term tends not to describe a strong relationship but instead, someone who you are good friends with and have gotten to know, but who you are not exactly incredibly close with and not someone you would yet consider to be like a blood relative to you. 

“BSF” can also sometimes be mistaken for “BF”, especially over text where it can be easy to make a typing mistake. The two are not the same however as “BF” means boyfriend which is another text slang acronym that many people will commonly say out loud.

Origins Of BSF

While “BFF” has been around since texting first started, “BSF” only started appearing in the mid to late 2010s as an alternative to the acronym since, by that point, it had become incredibly popular and frequently used. 

Facebook and Tumblr were the platforms where it first started being seen in the comments, however as the years have gone by, it has nearly grown as popular as its counterpart “BFF”.

Summary

While it is very much the same as the classic “BFF” acronym, “BSF” has slowly grown in popular usage, with it now becoming a quick and easy way to describe an intensely close bond between two people.