IMAO means 'in my arrogant opinion'. Dictionary.com describes it as an internet acronym usually used with a sense of irony or self-deprecation, and says it's a twist on IMHO, 'in my humble opinion'. People use it to share a strong view while poking fun at themselves. If it looks like a laugh, check it isn't LMAO with a lowercase L.
IMAO is one of the internet's older in-jokes. It started in heated online debates, softened into a playful way of owning a bold opinion, and now spends a lot of its time being confused with a completely different abbreviation. Here's what it means, where it came from, how it compares with IMO and IMHO, and how to tell whether someone meant IMAO or LMAO.
IMAO: in my arrogant opinion
Dictionary.com's acronym page, published in October 2018, defines IMAO as 'in my arrogant opinion' and says it's usually used with irony or self-deprecation. Wiktionary agrees, labelling it humorous internet slang and noting it was coined in contrast to IMHO.
The joke is in the swap. 'Humble' becomes 'arrogant', and the writer admits up front that they're about to be opinionated. Done well, it disarms the reader. It says, 'I know I'm being bold, and I'm saying it anyway.'
Where IMAO came from: a 1989 Grateful Dead argument
Dictionary.com traces one early IMAO to a May 1989 Usenet discussion about the Grateful Dead. A user named David Vinayak Wallace opened a post with a line about casting some kerosene onto the fire, then used IMAO before rating different periods of the band. He added a postscript explaining what IMAO meant, to avoid what he called 30,000 messages asking.
It stayed rare at first. Dictionary.com says that through 1989, IMAO and 'in my arrogant opinion' were used 8 times in Usenet groups, always in debates and arguments, and often to dismiss an opposing view outright. From the start it had irony, but also some force.
Over the 1990s and 2000s it spread and became milder. Dictionary.com notes it never took off like IMHO, and gives two likely reasons: 'in my arrogant opinion' isn't a stock phrase in English, and arrogance isn't something most people want to admit to in the middle of an argument.
IMAO vs IMO vs IMHO
| Abbreviation | Stands for | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| IMO | In my opinion | Neutral, just flags a view |
| IMHO | In my humble opinion | Polite, sometimes sarcastically humble |
| IMAO | In my arrogant opinion | Self-aware, playful, a little cheeky |
| IMNSHO | In my not so humble opinion | A close cousin of IMAO |
If you want the plain version, my guide to IMO covers how and when to use it. IMAO is IMO with a wink. It works best when the opinion is about something low-stakes, like music, food or a TV finale, and the reader knows you're joking about your own confidence.
The IMAO and LMAO mix-up
Here's the reason so many people search for IMAO. In many fonts, a capital I and a lowercase l look almost identical. So a quick 'lmao', the laugh, can look like 'Imao' on a phone screen, especially at the start of a message where autocorrect capitalises the first letter.
Dictionary.com's own examples show how blurry it gets. One social post from 2018 ends with 'imao' after a jokey line about not caring about looking mature, which reads very much like a laugh. That's the giveaway to look for.
- Is it after something funny? It's almost certainly lmao, a laugh.
- Is it before or after a strong opinion? It's probably IMAO.
- Is it all on its own as a reply? Read it as a laugh.
- Still not sure? Zoom in or copy it into a search bar, where the letters are easier to tell apart.
If it turns out to be the laugh, ROFL is the even louder version.
IMAO in other languages
Wiktionary records a completely different IMAO in Spanish. There it's a pharmacology acronym for a type of antidepressant, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, known in English as an MAOI. So if you see IMAO on a Spanish medical leaflet or pharmacy page, it has nothing to do with opinions or laughing.
Examples of IMAO in posts
Dictionary.com quotes two real examples. One, from 2011, calls an ambient record a classic album, then signs off 'IMAO'. Another, from 2009, makes a big prediction and adds that it's 60/40 the writer is wrong, IMAO. Both are bold takes with a little shrug attached.
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These are made-up examples to show the same pattern:
- 'The first film is better than the sequel, IMAO.' A confident take, owned.
- 'IMAO, pineapple belongs on pizza.' Picking a fight, playfully.
- 'This is the best coffee in town IMAO.' Strong praise with a grin.
- 'imao that was hilarious' Almost certainly a misread lmao.
How to reply to IMAO
Play along. IMAO invites a bit of friendly pushback, so 'bold claim' or your own counter-opinion fits. If you agree, say so; if you don't, the self-aware tone gives you room to disagree without anyone taking offence. If it was a laugh in disguise, just laugh back.
Another way of softening an opinion is explained in the JS meaning page.
Should you use IMAO at work or on a brand account?
Sparingly. Among friends and on a playful personal account, it's a fun way to show confidence without sounding smug. In work messages, many people won't recognise it, and some will read it as a typo for LMAO, which is the opposite of what you meant. If you want to share a strong view with a colleague or client, NGL or a plain 'in my view' is clearer. On a brand account, a cheeky IMAO under a hot take can work, as long as your audience knows the joke.
Frequently asked questions
What does IMAO stand for?
In my arrogant opinion. Dictionary.com says it's usually used with irony or self-deprecation.
Is IMAO the same as LMAO?
No. LMAO is a laugh. They look alike because a capital I and a lowercase l look similar in many fonts.
What's the difference between IMAO and IMHO?
IMHO means in my humble opinion. IMAO swaps humble for arrogant as a joke.
Where did IMAO come from?
Dictionary.com traces an early use to a May 1989 Usenet discussion about the Grateful Dead.
Is IMAO rude?
Not usually. It's self-aware, so it reads as playful confidence rather than real arrogance.
What does IMAO mean in Spanish?
In Spanish pharmacology it's an acronym for a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, an MAOI.
