Sodium bromide is widely used in the oil and gas industry as a component of high-density brine fluids for well completion and workover operations. These clear salt solutions provide hydrostatic pressure to control subsurface pressures without damaging production zones. Its solubility and stability make it ideal for use in conjunction with calcium bromide to achieve desired fluid densities.

It also serves as a source of bromide ions in the synthesis of other bromine compounds. In organic chemistry, it is employed as a reagent in bromination reactions, particularly under oxidative conditions.

Historically, sodium bromide was used in medicine as a sedative and anticonvulsant, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Though no longer used for this purpose due to the development of safer drugs, it played a significant role in early neurology.

In photography, it has been used in the preparation of silver bromide emulsions for photographic plates and papers, contributing to image sensitivity and development.

It is also utilized in water treatment and as a disinfectant in some industrial applications, where it helps control microbial growth, particularly in cooling towers and swimming pools, often in combination with chlorine or ozone systems.