What Does FWB Mean on Social Media, Texting, and Dating Apps?

You keep seeing “FWB” pop up on social media, in texts, and even on dating apps—but what does it mean? Never fear—we’ve put together a complete guide to what “FWB” means, no matter which app you see it on. We’ve even included ways to use it in your own messages so you can join the conversation, too!

Section 1 of 5:

What does FWB mean on social media?

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“FWB” means “friends with benefits” on all social media platforms. “Friends with benefits” describes a situation where 2 friends or acquaintances have a casual sexual relationship with each other, but don’t maintain a romantic or emotional connection. It’s most often used by teenagers and younger adults.^{[1]XResearch source}
- “I’m just looking for a fwb situation 😜 not a serious relationship.”
- “Attention!! I’m now accepting applications for fwb LOL! 🤣”
- “FWB” has this meaning across all social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp.

Section 2 of 5:

What does FWB mean over text?

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“FWB” also means “friends with benefits” over text. In this scenario, someone is probably talking about a specific person or relationship conversationally. They might be confiding in a friend or just chatting about their dating life.^{[2]XResearch source}
- “She says she only wants to be fwb but I think I want to take things further.”
- “I’m so tired of the fwb arrangements, I’m ready to find Mr. Right!”

Section 3 of 5:

What does FWB mean on dating apps?

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On dating apps, “FWB” definitely means “friends with benefits.” It’ll usually appear in someone’s profile to indicate what kind of relationship they want, or in messages between 2 matches while they discuss what they’re looking for on the app. In this case, the “friends” in “friends with benefits” are strangers.
- Person 1: “So, what are you looking for on here?”
- Person 2: “Ideally just a fwb situation, but maybe something more with the right person.”
Danah Boyd, Youth Culture Anthropologist
The use of abbreviations like "FWB" online shows that teens want privacy and their own way of talking about sensitive stuff. While it officially means "friends with benefits" — a physical relationship without commitment — terms like this really show teens trying to figure out intimacy and identity in online spaces that still have parents and schools looking over their shoulders.

Section 4 of 5:

How to Use FWB

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1
Use “FWB” to talk about your relationship with somebody. Here, “FWB” can refer to a person or to the relationship itself when someone asks you about your dating life. This works any time you’re having a conversation over text or on social media.
- Person 1: “Aren’t you two dating?”
  Person 2: “No, we’re just fwb.”
- Person 1: “Who’s Jack?”
  Person 2: “Oh, he’s my fwb haha”
2
Ask someone if they want to be “FWB” with you over text or online. If you want to start a casual physical relationship with someone (or if you’ve already hooked up and want to do it again), use “FWB” to get your point across. It’s universally understood to only mean “friends with benefits.”
- Person 1: “Hey, I had an awesome time with you last night. We should do it again. Fwb?”
- Person 2: “Yeah, I would be into that 😏”
3
Tell someone you want a casual, sexual relationship on a dating app. Put “FWB” in your profile to let all potential matches know what you’re looking for. If you’d rather wait to make that decision until after you’ve matched and chatted with someone, use “FWB” in a message to discuss the next steps.
- For example, your profile might say: “Only looking for FWB. Swipe left if you want more!”
- Person 1: “I’m not sure I want a relationship right now, but I’m down for fwb.”
  Person 2: “Yeah, that sounds good”

Section 5 of 5:

Related Acronyms

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1
“NSA” means “no strings attached.” This is another way to say you’re interested in a casual, physical relationship without a strong commitment.^{[3]XResearch source}
- “Come over tonight 😈 NSA”
- “I only want some nsa fun this summer, nothing serious!”
2
“ONS” means “one night stand.” Use this when you want to say that you’re interested in casually sleeping with somebody once, but don’t want to make it a habit or form a relationship.
- “It was just a ONS!”
- “Don’t get attached, he only wants a ons!”
3
“MBA” means “married but available.” If someone’s marriage is open or if they want to hook up with someone besides their spouse, they’d use “MBA” to let people know their situation (not to be confused with a Master of Business Administration degree!).
- A dating profile might say: “Looking for a casual fling only (mba)”
- Person 1: “Isn’t that guy you hooked up with married?”
  Person 2: “Yeah but he said he’s mba so 🤷🏽”

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Tips

If you’re having a verbal conversation, you would say the words “friends with benefits” rather than pronouncing the letters “FWB.” This is different from some other social media acronyms, like “LOL” (“laugh out loud”) or “JK” (“just kidding”), where you would say the letters out loud.
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