Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

boys-will-be-boys

idiomatic expression

/bɔɪz wɪl bi bɔɪz/

Definition

A phrase used to excuse or justify the often unruly or mischievous behavior of boys, implying that such behavior is natural and expected for boys.

Examples

Despite the mess they made in the living room, their parents just shrugged it off, saying, ‘Boys will be boys.’
When the boys started roughhousing at the party, she chuckled and commented, ‘Typical! Boys will be boys.’
The teacher sighed, saying, ‘It’s just boys being boys,’ as the students played around during recess.

Meaning

The saying suggests that boys will behave in a typically masculine manner, often involving playfulness, roughness, or disregard for rules, and that this should be accepted rather than criticized.