"PB" means to set a new personal best. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.
PB
(usually, intransitive, informal) To set a new personal best.
Etymology timeline
Born ~1980 · no dated citations yetSeen in the wild
If an [internal link](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:WhatLinksHere/PB&namespace=0) incorrectly led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.
004. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead#cite_ref-4 "Jump up")**Pb(−2) has been observed in BaPb, see Ferro, Riccardo (2008).
The weapon entered service in 1967. ## Design and features \[ [edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=PB_(pistol)&action=edit§ion=1 "Edit section: Design and features")\] The PB uses an integral [suppres…
Definitions
(usually, intransitive, informal) To set a new personal best.
"PB" means to set a new personal best. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.
"PB" is informal English meaning to set a new personal best. It is used widely across English varieties. A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "to set a new personal best" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "PB" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.
“If an [internal link](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:WhatLinksHere/PB&namespace=0) incorrectly led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.”
“004. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead#cite_ref-4 "Jump up")**Pb(−2) has been observed in BaPb, see Ferro, Riccardo (2008).”
“The weapon entered service in 1967. ## Design and features \[ [edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=PB_(pistol)&action=edit§ion=1 "Edit section: Design and features")\] The PB uses an integral [suppressor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppressor "Suppressor"), which, unlike most similar systems, consists of two parts.”
Comments
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.
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Other words near "PB" (P)
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