Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic relapsing gastrointestinal inflammatory disease, mainly comprises ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Although the mechanisms and pathways of IBD have been widely examined in recent decades, its exact pathogenesis remains unclear. Studies have focused on the discovery of new therapeutic targets and application of precision medicine. Recently, a strong connection between IBD and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) has been reported. ncRNAs include microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). The contributions of lncRNAs and circRNAs in IBD are less well-studied compared with those of miRNAs. However, lncRNAs and circRNAs are likely to drive personalized therapy for IBD. They will enable accurate diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of therapeutic responses and promote IBD therapy. Herein, we briefly describe the molecular functions of lncRNAs and circRNAs and provide an overview of the current knowledge of the altered expression profiles of lncRNAs and circRNAs in patients with IBD. Further, we discuss how these RNAs are involved in the nosogenesis of IBD and are emerging as biomarkers. Facts • long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). • Moreover, certain lncRNAs and circRNAs are potential biomarkers of IBD. • The contributions of lncRNAs and circRNAs in IBD will become hot spots in future studies. Open questions • lncRNAs and circRNAs show altered expression profile in patients with IBD compared with those in healthy controls. • Which and how are lncRNAs and circRNAs involved in the internal mechanism of IBD? • Will lncRNAs and circRNAs serve as clinical biomarkers of IBD?