The 'INB4' meme, short for 'in before,' originated in the early 2000s on internet forums and imageboards like 4chan. It is primarily used to anticipate a specific, often predictable, reaction or outcome in a thread before it actually occurs. Historically, it was used to 'claim' a spot in a thread before it was deleted (inb4 404) or to mock a cliché response that a user expected to see. Over time, it evolved into a versatile linguistic tool and meme format that highlights the repetitive nature of online discourse. By using this template, creators can satirize common tropes, troll predictions, or the inevitable chaos that follows a controversial post.