IMAO Meaning: What the Acronym Stands For & How to Use It

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A simple guide to expressing your strongest opinions with IMAO

Co-authored by Glenn Carreau Reviewed by Candace Gasper

Last Updated: January 23, 2025 Fact Checked

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IMAO Meaning

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Using IMAO

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When to Use IMAO

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Origin of IMAO

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Related Slang

If someone has sent you the acronym “IMAO” (that's capital I, not lowercase L) via text or message and you have no clue what they mean, don’t worry—we’ve got your back. IMAO stands for “In my arrogant opinion,” a casual texting acronym used to give opinions in a sarcastic and self-deprecating way, and it's become popular on social media sites like Instagram or in games like Roblox. In this article, we’ll explain all the different ways you can use IMAO and how it differs from other slang terms like IMHO and IMO…so let’s get started!

IMAO Meaning at a Glance

IMAO is slang for “In my arrogant opinion.” It’s used to give opinions in a funny, ironic, or sometimes self-deprecating way, especially when you know your opinion might sound overly confident or biased. It’s a variant of IMHO (In my humble opinion) and IMO (In my opinion).

Section 1 of 5:

What does IMAO mean?

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IMAO stands for “In my arrogant opinion.” It’s an acronym used to state opinions or perspectives, though it also implies some sarcasm or irony. Saying “IMAO” is like saying you know your opinion might come across as annoying, overly confident, or arrogant, but you’re saying it anyway. You might see it used in place of phrases like “That’s just my two cents!”^{[1]
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- Keep in mind that “arrogant” means having an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance.
- IMAO can have negative implications because of that, but it’s also meant to be used in a funny, tongue-in-cheek sort of way—so it’s not always a negative phrase.

Section 2 of 5:

How to Use IMAO

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Express a strong opinion in a cheeky, sarcastic way. Say you want to offer up an opinion that you feel really enthusiastic about. You want people to listen to you, but at the same time, you don’t want the conversation to get too serious or feel like you’re being too insistent. So, you could give your opinion in a funny way by including “IMAO” in your message!^{[2]
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- “Oatmeal raisin cookies are totally superior to chocolate chip, IMAO.”
- “IMAO, that show is kinda overrated!”
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Recognize your overconfidence or bias in a discussion. In other words, you can use IMAO to show people you understand your opinion shouldn’t be taken as fact (even if you feel super confident about it. IMAO is basically a sarcastic version of “In my humble opinion,” so it can be helpful when you might say something presumptuous but want to share anyway.
- “IMAO, my way of doing things is always best…except when it isn’t.”
- “If we’re voting on what to do today, my suggestion still sounds more fun IMAO!”

Section 3 of 5:

When should you use IMAO?

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Save IMAO for casual conversations and exchanges with friends. Keep it out of any professional emails, messages, or discussions; it’s definitely an informal acronym. Because it’s also meant to be sarcastic, IMAO is more likely to come off the right way around people already familiar with your sense of humor (and, ideally, texting lingo).
- IMAO can be typed out in uppercase or lowercase. Just be aware that it can be easily confused with “lmao,” which is the popular acronym for “laughing my a** off.”

Section 4 of 5:

Where does IMAO come from?

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IMAO became popular as a text acronym in the early 2000s. It originated after its predecessor, IMHO (“In my humble opinion”) as a more playful and self-deprecating version of the phrase, especially because people felt like IMHO was often used with false modesty. So, IMAO was coined to help people poke fun at themselves and navigate debates in a lighthearted way.^{[3]
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- Even though it mainly became relevant in the early 2000s, one of the first recorded uses of IMAO actually occurred in May 1989 as part of a Usenet conversation about The Grateful Dead rock band.
- Although it’s still not as well known as IMHO, IMAO remains a popular acronym online and on social media.

Section 5 of 5:

Related Acronyms & Slang

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IMHO As mentioned above, IMHO is an acronym that means “In my humble opinion.” It’s mainly used to express opinions in a modest tone—though, depending on the context, it can be taken different ways. Some people feel it’s a polite thing to say, while others feel like it conveys false modesty.^{[4]
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- “This rain is so much better than the hot sun, IMHO.”
- “We should watch The Hunger Games. It’s really good, IMHO.”
- IMHO and IMAO are both variants of “IMO,” which just means “In my opinion.” If you want to keep things simple, you could always go back to basics and offer opinions with IMO!
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IMNSHO This is an acronym for “In my not-so-humble opinion,” which means essentially the same thing as IMAO (just written differently). It’s used to express opinions in a self-aware manner, when you know you’re being forceful but recognize that your opinions may not be shared by everyone.
- “Our team is gonna win tomorrow. We’re the best in the league, IMNSHO!”
- “This new phone wasn’t really worth the price, IMNSHO.”
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LMAO LMAO is a popular slang term for “Laughing my a** off.” It’s used to express enjoyment when you find something super funny and show the other person that they made you laugh (even if they can’t see you). Because both acronyms use similar letters and “I” resembles a lowercase “L,” be clear when you’re using LMAO versus IMAO.^{[5]
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- “LMAO, I love when you send me funny TikToks. I’m dying! 🤣”
- “I’m LMAO at this pic of your dog. So goofy!”
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IMMAO IMMAO means “In my most arrogant opinion.” It’s just another way to say IMAO—with even more attitude! IMMAO is typically used when expressing an opinion that’s not only strong but genuinely outrageous or over-the-top.
- “IMMAO, media literacy is really going downhill.”
- “I’m gonna make the best pizza you’ve ever had, IMMAO!”