IMO

American  

Also imo, or IMHO

abbreviation

1. in my (honest/humble) opinion.

---

IMO ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. text messaging in my opinion

2. International Maritime Organization

---

Imo ² British  

/ ˈiːməʊ /

noun

1. a state of SE Nigeria. Capital: Owerri. Pop:3 934 899 (2006). Area: 5100 sq km (1969 sq miles)

---

Etymology

Origin of IMO

First recorded in 1980–85; from its use in digital communications

Example Sentences

The IMO has information that some ships have started to sail but that it still needed to verify this as "some ships turn off their identification systems in order not to be targeted", he said.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

Around 20,000 seafarers remained stranded on some 3,200 vessels west of the Strait of Hormuz, according to the IMO.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

The IMO council said in its declaration that members "strongly condemned the threats and attacks against vessels and purported closure of the Strait... by Iran, adversely affecting merchant and commercial vessels".

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

After a period sailing under the false identity Sea Shell, using a different stolen IMO number, the Gale again changed identities, re-emerging as Beeta and loading a cargo of Iranian oil on 31 January.

From BBC • Feb. 10, 2026

The IMO is a proponent of a technology to apply encrypted "digital signatures" to electronic bills of lading.

From Crime and Corruption by Vaknin, Samuel