There is no denying that the messaging culture is changing. We are now using more abbreviations and slang than ever before. Whether for text or Email, hardly anyone now uses the full forms of commonly known abbreviations and acronyms. If you are someone who is super active on social media sites, then you might have heard about a popular abbreviation, which is INB4.
The first time you must have heard it, you might have thought, what does inb4 stand for? In today’s times, there are tons of such words being used, such as ASAP, b4, IN2, LOL, etc. But, talking about inb4, this is undoubtedly not a common abbreviation; hence, if you are wondering what does INB4 mean, then let me tell you about the inb4 meaning.
What Does INB4 Stand For?
Not only just social media, but you might also come across many short forms of words that are being used today by the masses. From texts to emails to message boards to even verbally, people now prefer using abbreviations instead of the whole word. Similar is the case with the INB4 acronym.
So if you are wondering what does inb4 stand for, let me tell you, this is an abbreviation and a short form for the words “IN BEFORE”. INB4 is among the less popular yet widely recognised abbreviations that people use in everyday texts and Emails.
However, the inb4 acronym is quite different from all the others being used. This is because this abbreviation alone does not make any sense. It has to be supported by other words. Chances are, some of you might not even have heard it unless you are an active member of some online message boards. These are forums created for some of the other causes or subjects wherein the members interact with each other, just like on emails. However, the use of this abbreviation is certainly not like the others.
People in online conversations use INB4 to prevent a series of dialogues exchanged from anyone else. A person can hinder an opposition’s replies right from the beginning if they use the INB4 acronym strategically. After knowing the inb4 meaning, you can practically win any argument or shift all attention to yourself in a conversation with the correct usage.
Although most of the internet slang has dubious histories, a few undismayed scholars had taken up the daunting job of tracking down the derivation and origin of one of the most frequently used dissension tools available online.
Therefore, let me tell you about the origin of the inb4 acronym.
Origin Of INB4
Now that we know what does inb4 mean, let me also tell you that INB4 has been obtained from its earlier form of demonstration known as ‘in before the lock’ that was widely used in ‘4chan’ and other forms of imageboards that were popular at that time. This was used to keep a marking in a thread or post that is soon to be deleted without being registered by the admin.
Being widely used in different message boards, INB4 has several types, too.
Types Of INB4
Since the inb4 acronym cannot be used by itself, for the simple reason that it would not make any sense, users add up some words in front of inb4 to make a complete sense of it. The earliest record of the usage of an INB4 was on Reddit in 2008, and its usage soon started to vary; however, INB4 can be differentiated into certain categories. These categories are:
Now that you know what does inb4 stand for and you are well-versed with the various types of inb4 let me give you some examples for a better understanding.
Examples Of INB4
People who hear this abbreviation wish to know the inb4 meaning. It is pretty difficult for Gen Z and the newer generations to understand the concept of INB4 clearly. Therefore, here are a few examples to provide a clearer image of the inb4 acronym –
Example:1
Let us take an example where certain users published a topic or used cuss words in one of the threads that are totally against the rules and guidelines of the board. A user predicting a ban for this particular activity might use the phrase ‘INB4 the moderator delete this’ or simply ‘INB4 B&’ to express it.
Example:2
Here we are taking an example where one of the users, Alex, is talking about the teething nature of his new pup on a thread. Another user named John is predicting that the thread is going to be stormed with dog memes. Here is their conversation as an example –
Alex: My pup Tex is nibbling on my laptop charger. He is probably going to eat all the wires connected to the laptop.
John: INB4 doge meme. LOL!
In both examples, you can see how the inb4 acronym is used but has different meanings. Hence, as I said, this is just not a typical acronym. Therefore, before using it, one must clearly know what does inb4 stand for. However, just knowing what does inb4 mean is not enough. Understanding its origin, types, and usage is also crucial.
Though these phrases are not commonly used on public forums now but knowing a little about inb4 meaning might give you a fair idea about how other popular internet slang and abbreviations came into use.
Thanks for sharing this article. And you should never use INB4 by itself since it doesn’t make sense unless it’s accompanied by other words. When responding to someone who is a part of a debate, inb4 is frequently utilized in most online trends. This is one of the primary reasons why the word inb4 is only used and seen in threads, group discussions, and other discussion platforms where individuals begin to debate a topic, which is then followed by comments and viewpoints from other participants in the conversation.
Hi Rahul,
Thanks for sharing your views. Glad you liked it.
Thanks for writing unique content on INB4.
Keep Updating.
Sure. Thanks for coming by.