What Does “SB” Mean?

Co-authored by Imad Jbara and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: May 12, 2022 References

You just stumbled across the word “SB” on your screen, but you aren’t sure what it means. That’s totally valid—depending on the context and platform, SB can mean completely different things. We’ve put together a comprehensive guide to help you navigate this abbreviation on Snapchat and over text, as well as any other place you may come across it.

Section 1 of 7:

What does SB mean on Snapchat?

SB typically means “Snap Back” when sent on Snapchat. Maybe you’re currently on a hot Snapstreak with a friend, or someone just sent you a Snap. The person may message you “SB” to encourage you to send a Snap in reply.^{[1]
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- “Ayyy you gotta SB or we’ll lose our streak 🔥”
- “You gonna SB? It’s been like 2 hours LOL”
- This abbreviation means the same thing when it’s spelled with all capital (SB) or all lowercase letters (sb).

Section 2 of 7:

What does SB mean in texting?

SB often stands for “Somebody” over text. Instead of typing out “I heard from somebody” or “somebody told me,” a person might choose to abbreviate part of their message with “SB” or “sb.” A person might also use “sb” if they don’t feel like naming specific names.
- “SB at work told me about your little adventure this weekend 😜”
- “Do you know sb who could fix up my deck? 🔨”

Section 3 of 7:

How to Use SB on Snapchat

Send SB to get someone to reply to your Snap. Did the hourglass emoji pop up next to you and your friend’s streak? A quick SB message can remind them to keep your epic streak going for a day longer. You can also SB to remind a friend or acquaintance that they haven’t replied to your Snap yet.
- “Yooo SB already! This 100-day streak isn’t going to advance itself 😝”
- “Could you SB? I’m sooooo bored 😂”

Section 4 of 7:

How to Use SB over Text

Text about someone in a vague sense using SB. “SB” is a great abbreviation to have on hand if you don’t feel like name-dropping someone, or if you just don’t know a lot about who you’re referring to.
- “I heard from sb that you don’t like coffee. Explain?? ☕”
- “SB online claimed that these celebs broke up, but I’m not buying it 🤔”

Section 5 of 7:

How to Reply to SB on Snapchat

Send a Snap to someone who requests an SB. This is totally optional, though—there’s no obligation to reply if you don’t feel like it, especially if you don’t know the original sender very well.
- Them: “Our streak’s about to end!! Pls SB 😭”
  You: “Whoops!!! Sorry about that 😅”

Section 6 of 7:

How to Reply to SB over Text

Give your opinion on what “somebody” said or did. Maybe your texting partner is chatting about someone from work or is just mentioning a random person they passed on the street. Whatever the case, feel free to share your own thoughts on the situation when you get the chance.
- Friend: “SB told me that I don’t look good in purple ☹️”
  You: “Who told you that?? You look amazing in any color 😤🌈”

Section 7 of 7:

Alternate Meanings

1
SB can stand for “soft block” on social media. “Soft blocking” involves both unfollowing and removing someone from your follower list without blocking them outright. If someone mentions “SBing someone,” they’re probably talking about soft blocking.^{[2]
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- Example: “Do you think I should SB him? I’m getting really tired of all his notifications 🙄”
2
Sb stands for “antimony” on the periodic table. If you come across Sb in a chemistry assignment or reading, you can assume that it stands for antimony, an element on the periodic table. In historical times, people called antimony “stibium,” which is where its seemingly random abbreviation comes from.^{[3]
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- Example: The atomic mass of Sb is 121.760u.^{[4]
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3
SB is short for “Senate Bill” in government documents. Reading up on a Senate bill that’s about to be voted on?^{[5]
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Research source} Chances are, it’ll be abbreviated with “SB” and a number.
- Example: SB 1383 is an environmental bill in California.^{[6]
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4
SB means “stolen base” in a baseball setting. Reading an article about baseball or chatting with someone about the big game? You might come across the word SB, which refers to the total number of bases a person has stolen in a game.^{[7]
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- Example: That player has 4 SB in the current season.
- Some people may use SB as shorthand for a “sacrifice bunt,” a move where a player lets themselves be struck out so another player gets further on the bases. However, the official MLB glossary abbreviates sacrifice bunts as “SH.”^{[8]
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5
SB is occasionally short for “Bachelor of Science.” A Bachelor of Science degree can be abbreviated in a lot of different ways, including SB, BS, and BSc. If you see SB in an academic capacity, it’s probably referring to someone’s degree.^{[9]
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- Example: Professor McDonald has an SB and MSc in Physics.