IMHO stands for "in my humble opinion." It is a text abbreviation. It is used to soften a statement. "IMHO, the movie was too long." It signals that the opinion is personal, not absolute. It is polite. It is also sometimes fake. A person who writes IMHO may not be humble at all.

IMHO has been around since the early internet. It was common in bulletin board systems and forums. It is still used today. It is a way to disagree without starting a fight. It is a small cushion. It softens the blow of an opinion.

Related abbreviations

• IMO: in my opinion, less humble.
• TBH: to be honest.
• NGL: not gonna lie.
• FR: for real.

IMHO is not always sincere. Some people use it to be passive-aggressive. "IMHO, you are wrong." The "humble" is a lie. But the abbreviation remains. It is a convention. It is a way to say, "This is just my take." That is a useful thing. It keeps the peace.