IBTL
In before the lock
Example
User1: Whatever, I think he's the worst candidate ever. He doesn't care about anything!
User2: Dude, you need to grow up and start to think for yourself
User3: IBTL!!!!!
Admin: Thread closed, too much ad hominem
Related Slang
| b4 | Before |
| ABP | Already been posted |
| c/p | Crossposting |
| CNP | Continued next post |
| bump | Forum post message bump |
| inb4 | In before |
| sysadmin | System administrator |
| AMA | Ask me anything |
| AITA | Am I the a**hole |
Can you score under par in this golf terms quiz?
In web forums, IBTL typically stands for "in before the lock." You're most likely to encounter this acronym in heated threads and discussions, which users think will be locked by a forum's mods.
What can get a thread locked?
Flame wars, trolling, and personal attacks can all lead to a thread getting locked, to prevent users from posting additional angry or hurtful comments. When other users see a lock coming, or they want to signal that a discussion's other participants are being inappropriate, they may post IBTL.