IMHO

IMHO is an initialism that stands for "in my humble opinion" and is used in informal online discourse to preface a personal judgment. It signals subjectivity and politeness, inviting readers to consider that the statement reflects the speaker’s view rather than an objective fact. The term is common in forums, chat rooms, emails, social media comments, and other casual digital conversations. It is generally avoided in formal writing.

Originating in early online communities such as Usenet and message boards, IMHO became widespread with the growth of the web in the 1990s. The precise origin is not documented, but it is well attested in online archives and is now a familiar part of internet slang.

Variants and related terms include IMO, which stands for "in my opinion" and is often viewed as slightly less emphatic, and JMHO, which stands for "just my humble opinion." The H is commonly interpreted as "humble," though some users prefer "honest," which can cause occasional confusion.

Usage notes emphasize that IMHO is best used to soften a claim or indicate a subjective preference. In contested discussions, it signals that the statement should be taken as one perspective among many. Because it is informal, IMHO is not appropriate for formal proposals, academic writing, or professional documentation.