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Synonyms

IM

1 American  
[ahy-em] / ˈaɪˈɛm /

noun

plural

IMs, IM's

  1. instant message.

  2. instant messaging.

verb (used without object)

IM'd, IMed, IM'ing, IMing

  1. instant message.

IM 2 American  

abbreviation

  1. Swimming. individual medley.

  2. Sports. intramural.

  3. Also I.M. Isle of Man.

I'm 3 American  
[ahym] / aɪm /

  1. contraction of I am.

im- 4 American  

  1. variant of in- before b, m, p: imbrute; immigrate; impassion.

im- 5 American  

  1. variant of in- before b, m, p: imbalance; immoral; imperishable.

im- 6 American  

  1. variant of in- before b, m, p: imbed; immure; impose.

-im 7 American  

  1. a plural ending occurring in loanwords from Hebrew.

    cherubim.
IM 1 British  

abbreviation

  1. computing instant messaging

  2. Also: i.m..  intramuscular

  3. chess International Master

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
I'm 2 British  
/ aɪm /

contraction

  1. I am

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
im- 3 British  

prefix

  1. a variant of in- 1 in- 2

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
im 4 British  

abbreviation

  1. Isle of Man

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

See contraction.

Etymology

Origin of IM1

First recorded in 1990–95

Origin of -im7

From Hebrew

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By watching how spirals move in the IM Lupi disc over time, the team could tell that they were caused by a new planet being born and not a planet growing bigger!

From Space Scoop • Oct. 24, 2025

The robot had been directed to a cratered terrain near the Moon's south pole, and the IM team believes it got very close to the targeted site - perhaps within a couple of kilometres.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2024

While we’re on the subject of local winners, a quick congratulations to New York IM Mykola Bortnick, winner of the Premier section of the 2023 Eastern Open, the D.C. area’s traditional year-end chess blowout tournament.

From Washington Times • Jan. 2, 2024

“I won’t take this laying down anymore IM DONE!”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2023

I’m sure my mom will eventually allow me access to the Internet and we’ll be able to IM again, but it won’t be enough.

From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.