You’re scrolling through messages and see something like:
- “Love you bess 🩷”
- “She’s my bess fr”
- “That outfit is actually bess”
If you’ve searched “bess meaning in chat”, you’re probably thinking:
- Is bess a name?
- Is it short for something?
- Why did they call me “bess”?
Good news: it’s not that deep or scary.
In most casual chats, “bess” is just a slang way to say “best friend” or “best.”
This guide breaks down:
- the main bess meaning in chat
- how it’s used in different apps
- what it says about your relationship
- how to reply (without making it weird)
- other possible meanings and misunderstandings
All in simple, human language you can use straight away.
Quick Snapshot: Bess Meanings
Here’s a fast overview before we go deeper.
| Form | Common meaning in chat | Feels like |
|---|---|---|
| “my bess” / “bess” (to a person) | best friend, bestie | affectionate, close |
| “that’s bess” / “this is bess” | that’s the best / really good | hype, praise |
| BESS (all caps) | acronyms (work/technical) | not usually chat slang |
| “Bess” as a name | person’s name | only if it’s actually a name |
So when you see bess in a friendly chat, the safest meaning is:
bess = best friend / bestie / really good
Main Bess Meaning in Chat: Best Friend / Bestie
Most of the time, “bess” is just a cute, short form of “best” – usually meaning “best friend” or “bestie.”
People use it:
- as a nickname for their closest friend
- as a way to show love and loyalty
- almost like saying “bestie,” “my person,” “my ride or die”
How “bess” shows up in messages
Direct nickname:
- “Happy birthday bess 🫶”
- “Miss you bess”
- “You don’t text me anymore bess 😭”
Talking about someone:
- “She’s my bess, don’t talk about her like that”
- “Met my bess in high school”
- “You’re actually my bess for real”
Possessive (my/ur):
- “my bess forever”
- “you’re my bess and that’s that”
- “ur bess is calling you 😂”
In these cases, bess meaning in chat = best friend, with a soft, affectionate tone.
Bess As “Best” (Something Really Good)
Sometimes bess isn’t about a person at all.
It’s used like “best” to describe something that’s really, really good.
You’ll see this especially in UK or Caribbean-influenced slang, or around music, food, outfits, etc.
Examples:
- “This song is actually bess”
- “That food was bess ngl” (ngl = not gonna lie)
- “Your outfit is bess today”
- “That party was bess from start to finish”
Here, bess = top tier / amazing / the best.
So:
- bess (about a person) → best friend / bestie
- bess (about a thing) → really good / the best
Context tells you which one it is.
Where You’ll See Bess Meaning in Chat (Apps & Platforms)
To make things clearer (and more complete), here’s how bess shows up on different platforms.
On Snapchat
On Snapchat, bess is common in:
- streak chats
- best friend snaps
- private stories
Examples:
- Caption over selfie with friend:
“day 1 bess 🤍” - Chat:
“You still my bess even when you ignore my snaps 😤” - Story reply:
“omg you and ur bess are too cute”
Tone: very friendly, often used with emojis and hearts.
On Instagram
On Instagram, you’ll see bess in:
- story captions
- comments on photos with friends
- DMs between close people
Examples:
- Caption: “Out with my bess tonight ✨”
- Comment: “You two are goals fr bess energy”
- DM: “That pic of you and ur bess is adorable”
Sometimes people also use it like “best” for praise:
- “Your makeup is bess”
- “That reel is actually bess content”
On TikTok
On TikTok, people use bess in comments and captions:
- Comments under friendship videos:
“me and my bess fr” - POV / skit captions:
“POV: you and ur bess talking at 3am” - Complimenting content:
“This edit is bess”
Because TikTok is very global, you may see bess more where UK or Caribbean slang is common.
On WhatsApp / iMessage
In everyday texting:
- “You’re my bess, don’t forget that”
- “Ask your bess if she’s coming too”
- “Calling my bess after work”
Here, bess meaning in chat is usually clearly about best friend.
On Discord / Gaming
In gaming chats and Discord servers, bess can be:
- a nickname for your closest teammate
- praise for something cool
Examples:
- “She’s my bess in every game”
- “That clutch was bess”
What Calling Someone “Bess” Says About Your Relationship
When someone calls you bess, it usually means:
- they see you as very close
- they’re comfortable with you
- they feel safe joking and being themselves with you
It can be similar to:
- bestie
- bff (best friend forever)
- sis / bro
- twin
Possible vibes behind “bess”
| Situation | What “bess” might mean emotionally |
|---|---|
| Long-time friend calls you bess | You’re their long-term best friend |
| New friend suddenly says “bess” | They feel close to you quickly |
| Someone uses it after a fight | They still see you as important |
| Used with lots of hearts/emojis | Very affectionate, loving |
| Used with dry tone and no emojis | Could be playful or slightly sarcastic |
It’s almost always a positive word when used about a person.
How to Reply When Someone Calls You “Bess”
Not sure how to answer when someone says:
- “ily bess”
- “You’re my bess”
- “Happy birthday bess”
Here are some natural reply ideas.
Quick reply ideas
- “Love you bess 🩷”
- “Always bess, never less”
- “My bess forever fr”
- “Aww stop, love you bess”
- “You’re my bess too”
More detailed replies
If you want to be a bit deeper:
- “Not everyone gets the ‘bess’ title, you’re stuck with me now 😌”
- “You’ve been my bess from day one”
- “Real ones know, you’re my bess for life”
- “No matter what happens, you’re still my bess”
Table: Context vs good replies
| What they say | Nice reply you can send |
|---|---|
| “Happy bday bess 💕” | “Thank you bess, love you sm 🥹🫶” |
| “You’re my bess fr” | “And you’re my bess always, don’t forget” |
| “Miss you bess” | “I miss you too bess, we need a linkup” |
| “Me and my bess stay winning” | “As we should 😌 best duo ever” |
How to Tell What Bess Means from Context
Sometimes you’ll see bess and not be sure if it’s about a person or just “the best.”
Here’s a simple way to figure it out.
Look at what comes right after or before
- If it’s near “my”, “ur”, a name, @username → probably a person
- “my bess”
- “ur bess is calling”
- “me & my bess”
- If it’s near “this”, “that”, “song”, “food”, “fit” → probably “best”
- “this song is bess”
- “your fit is bess”
- “that edit was bess fr”
Check the tone
- Hearts, 🫶, 🥹, 😭 → probably affectionate friend talk
- Fire emojis 🔥, 😮💨, 😤 → probably hype/praise (“this thing is bess”)
Still confused?
You can gently ask:
- “When you say bess, you mean best friend right? 😅”
- “Bess like best friend or bess like this is really good? 😂”
Most people will happily explain.
Other Meanings of BESS (Not Really Chat Slang)
For completeness (and to make your page more “entity rich”), here are some non-slang meanings of BESS you might see outside casual chat:
- Battery Energy Storage System – in energy / engineering context
- Business, Engineering, Science & Systems – various academic or business acronyms
- Names of schools, companies, or systems
These are usually written in all caps (BESS) and appear in:
- reports
- technical docs
- websites
They are not what people mean when they say:
- “Love you bess”
- “She’s my bess”
- “That track is bess”
So for bess meaning in chat, you can safely ignore these technical meanings.
Common Mistakes and Misunderstandings About “Bess”
To avoid awkward situations, here are a few things to watch out for.
Thinking it’s always a name
Sometimes “Bess” is actually a name (short for Elizabeth).
But in most chat contexts, especially with emojis and slang, bess = best friend/best, not a name.
Clue:
If they call multiple people “bess”, it’s not a name.
Using “bess” with strangers
Calling someone bess is quite personal.
If you just met someone or barely know them, it might feel too strong or fake.
Better to use:
- “hey”
- their actual name
- “dude / bro / girl / mate” depending on your style
Save bess for people you’re actually close to.
Confusing bess with “basic English slang for best”
Remember:
- bess is informal and regional
- you might not see it in every country or age group
If someone doesn’t understand it, just say:
- “bess = my best friend / the best”
Overusing “bess” so it loses meaning
If you call everyone “bess,” it can stop feeling special.
If you want it to have weight:
- reserve bess for your real besties
- use other words for regular friends (friend, bro, sis, dude, etc.)
Bess vs Bestie vs BFF vs Other Slang
To help your readers (and your SEO), here’s a comparison table.
| Word | Rough meaning | Common vibe |
|---|---|---|
| bess | best friend / best | slangy, often UK/Caribbean style |
| bestie | best friend | cute, TikTok/Gen Z energy |
| bff | best friend forever | classic, text/IG caption style |
| bro | close friend | casual, often guys but not only |
| sis | close friend (fem) | supportive, girl-to-girl vibe |
| twin | friend very similar | “we’re the same person” energy |
| day 1 | friend from long ago | loyalty, history |
So:
- bess sits in the same family as bestie and bff
- just with a slightly different flavour and spelling
Example Conversations Using “Bess”
Here are some mini chat examples to make the bess meaning in chat feel real.
1. Classic best-friend conversation
Friend 1: “Guess who just passed their exam 👀”
Friend 2: “NO WAY CONGRATS BESS 🎉”
Friend 1: “Couldn’t have done it without you fr 😭”
2. Hyping up a friend’s photo
You: posts selfie on IG story
Bess: “You look bess as always”
You: “Coming from my bess that means sm 🥹”
3. Two besties planning a link-up
You: “We haven’t seen each other in months”
Bess: “I know bess it’s actually sad”
You: “This weekend we’re fixing that”
Bess: “Say less, I’m there”
4. Bess as “really good”
You: “Listen to this song”
Friend: “Wait this is actually bess”
You: “Told you, my playlists never miss”
5. After a small argument
You: “Sorry for being weird earlier”
Bess: “It’s okay, you’re still my bess”
You: “Love you for that 🫶”
FAQs About Bess Meaning in Chat
In most chats, bess means “best friend” or “best.” It’s a slang way to say bestie or something really good.
Pretty much, yes. Bess is like a shorter, slangier version used instead of bestie or best friend.
Yes. People say things like “this song is bess” or “that food was bess” meaning “this is the best / this is amazing.”
No. Bess by itself is not rude. It’s usually friendly or complimentary.
It’s just a stylistic, slang spelling. Like:
“gonna” instead of “going to”
“ya” instead of “you”
“cuz” instead of “because”
Bess is “best” but with chat flavour.
No. Use “best” or “best friend” in formal writing, emails, school work, or professional messages.
It’s more common in some areas (like UK and Caribbean-influenced slang) and among younger users. But internet culture spreads fast, so you might see it anywhere.
Quick Summary: Bess Meaning in Chat
- Bess meaning in chat is usually “best friend” or “best”
- When used about a person (my bess / hey bess), it means:
- best friend
- bestie
- someone you’re very close to
- When used about a thing (“this song is bess”), it means:
- really good
- top tier
- the best
- It’s a positive, affectionate word, not an insult.
- Save it for people or things you genuinely love, and you’ll use it naturally.
So next time someone says:
“Love you bess”
you’ll know they’re not being weird—they’re telling you you’re one of their favourite people.
About Grayson
Grayson is a professional English language teacher and the founder of WordEncyclo. With years of teaching experience, he specializes in vocabulary development, etymology, and word usage. His mission is to make English words and their meanings accessible to learners at all levels through clear, accurate, and well-researched content.