CBA

What Does CBA Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

CBA means "Can't Be Arsed" and "Cost-Benefit Analysis."

Can't Be Arsed

The abbreviation CBA is used with the meaning "Can't Be Arsed" (i.e., "I can't be bothered") to express an unwillingness to make the necessary effort to begin or complete a task. It portrays an attitude of lethargy. CBA is more commonly used in the UK than in other parts of the English-speaking world. (In the US, the word ass is typically used instead of arse).

Cost-Benefit Analysis

In business, CBA is used to refer to a process by which decisions, systems or projects are analyzed. In this context, a CBA identifies the benefits and costs of an action in order to assess or estimate its value.

Image for CBA

When I write CBA, I mean this:

CBA also means "Cost-Benefit Analysis."

Summary of Key Points

"Can't Be Arsed" is, by far, the most common meaning for CBA when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

CBA
Definition:	Can't Be Arsed
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Second Definition

"Cost-Benefit Analysis" is the most common definition for CBA in a business context.

CBA
Definition:	Cost-Benefit Analysis
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults

Examples of CBA in Sentences

Here are examples of CBA in conversations:

• Reporter: Mr. President, are you going to attend the hearings?
• Mr. President: Fake news! Witch hunt! CBA.
(Here, CBA is being used with the meaning "Can't Be Arsed.")

• Boss: We have done a CBA and have decided that you will have to work weekends.
• Worker: I have done a CBA and decided that you can stuff your job.
(Here, CBA is being used with the meaning "Cost-Benefit Analysis.")

An Academic Look at CBA

Whether used with the meaning "Can't Be Arsed" or "Cost-Benefit Analysis," CBA is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., "See Bee Ay"). It is therefore classified as an initialism abbreviation. Initialisms are different to acronyms, which are spoken like words. When used with the meaning "Can't Be Arsed," CBA is typically used as a standalone declarative sentence (i.e., a statement). It is not used as another part of speech within a wider sentence.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we might have said something like "I can't be bothered" instead of using the abbreviation CBA with the meaning "Can't Be Arsed."

Example of CBA Used in a Text

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