"ceebs" means: A humorous, fictional "illness" caused by a lack of enthusiasm for an activity.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.
ceebs
(AU, UK, colloquial, often preceded by "the") A humorous, fictional "illness" caused by a lack of enthusiasm for an activity.
Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
(AU, UK, colloquial, often preceded by "the") A humorous, fictional "illness" caused by a lack of enthusiasm for an activity.
"I've got a major case of the ceebs as regards making breakfast. If it was really that important I'd be bothered, right?"
For parents
"ceebs" means: A humorous, fictional "illness" caused by a lack of enthusiasm for an activity.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"ceebs" means: A humorous, fictional "illness" caused by a lack of enthusiasm for an activity.. Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. Note the regional or dialect label (UK) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in
Heard in the wild
“Same! I came along just after Voods passed, so I met the fots while everyone was grieving. Hopps and Ceebs (and now the brown girls) own my heart. How can I love dogs I've never met? 👑🌺💛”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK
(AU, UK, colloquial) An activity for which one has little or no enthusiasm. Often accompanied by a size qualifier to signify the magnitude of the apathy.
"I've got a major case of the ceebs as regards making breakfast. If it was really that important I'd be bothered, right?"
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UK
#3·Apr 27, 2026UK
(AU, UK, colloquial) Cannot be bothered.
"Okay I’m following on the extremely pricey Dyson with this cheapie – when I’m lazy and ceebs filling my entire eyebrows in with colour, I use this guy."
Origin: From the pronunciation of the letters CB, from the start of various acronyms such as can't be arsed, can't be bothered. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Cluster: deception
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Used in
UK
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
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Other words near "ceebs" (C)
Browse all slang words starting with C.