"Du-u-ude!"

BRO

Think of a casual term for a close male friend, often used in surfer or skate culture. It’s shorter than "buddy" and starts with a hard consonant.

This clue mimics the exaggerated, drawn-out way someone might say "dude" in casual speech, like a surfer or a character from a stoner comedy. The "Du-u-ude!" spelling stretches the word for emphasis, but the core term is still "dude," which is slang for a guy or friend. "Bro" is another informal term for the same thing, making it a perfect synonym-based answer. Think of it like how "bro" and "dude" are often used interchangeably in laid-back conversation.