Abiotic stress seriously affects plants growth and crop yield. Plant AREB (ABA responsive element binding protein)/ABF(ABRE binding factors) transcription factors are a type of leucine zipper protein that specifically recognizes ABA-responsive element (ABRE). They are involved in regulating the expression of ABA-responsive genes and play a crucial role in the response to abiotic stress in plant.This article introduced the structural characteristics of ABF transcription factors, the identified cis-acting elements, regulatory modification pathway and their roles in response to abiotic stress. This review might contributes a theoretical foundation for the application of ABF transcription factors to breed excellent cultivars?with stress tolerances.