TMI

Too Much Information (TMI) is an initialism used in informal communication to indicate that the details shared are excessive, intimate, or otherwise inappropriate for the setting. It is commonly encountered in online chats, forums, text messages, and social media, where it can function as a lighthearted self-correction after oversharing or as a cautionary remark directed at someone else who has disclosed too many personal details.

The tone of TMI ranges from playful to critical, depending on context and relationship between speakers. In casual conversation, saying "TMI" can help establish boundaries or inject humor. In professional or formal contexts, overt oversharing is typically discouraged, and the term may be seen as abrupt or disrespectful.

Origins and usage: The phrase "too much information" long predates the abbreviation, but TMI became common with the rise of internet slang in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. It is now widely understood in English-speaking online communities and has appeared in slang dictionaries and style guides. While primarily associated with oversharing, the acronym can appear in other contexts; however, its recognized meaning remains tied to oversharing or privacy boundaries.