YHBT

What does YHBT stand for online?

You have been trolled

YHBT is shorthand for the "You have been trolled" phrase, which people use online to let someone know they fell for a troll's bait. It's a way to highlight that the person got duped by an obvious or exaggerated post that wasn't meant to be taken seriously.

A troll is a person who intentionally posts misleading, provocative, or outrageous content (bait) to get a rise out of others. When someone takes the bait, others may respond with "YHBT" as a digital "gotcha."

Origin of YHBT

It is unclear who created the "YHBT" term. However, it gained popularity in early Internet forums and Usenet groups, particularly during the late 1990s and early 2000s, where trolling was both an art form and a common hazard. People still occasionally use it today on platforms like Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), and Discord, but it's typically used by veteran netizens who enjoy classic slang.

Example

Dude, did you see that Elon Musk is quitting Tesla to become a full-time Twitch streamer?
Wait, what?! That can’t be real
Nah man, YHBT. Check the source. It’s literally from a meme page
Ugh

Classic YHBT meme

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Updated July 17, 2025

YHBT definition by Slang.net - The Slang Dictionary

This page explains what the acronym "YHBT" means. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been manually compiled and written by the Slang.net team.

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