Hmm is an interjection and exclamation widely and variously used to indicatereflection, expresssuspicion, and requestclarification, among many other senses.

While English speakers have long been makinghmmsounds in everyday speech,hmm isn’tattested in the written record until the 1850s, probably as a variant form ofhum,hem, andh’m, evidenced by the late 16th century. A simplevocalization,hmm is also incrediblyversatile, used with different tones to markdiscourse in many ways.

Hmm can request clarification with risingintonation: “Hmm? I didn’t hear you—say what?” It can reinforce a concern when inserted midway or at the end of a question: “What’s wrong, honey? Hmm? What’s going on?”

Hmm can indicate thought or reflection with a steady tone: “Hmm, I’ll need to look into that.” Anelongatedhmmm can express thinking more deeply. Theinterjection can express wonder or surprise when uttered briefly and at a higher pitch: “Hm! I never knew that!” It can show curiosity or uncertainty: “Hmm, wonder what’s for dinner.”

Hmm can conveyirony or suspicion: “Baked a dozen cookies this morning. Two left. Wife says she doesn’t know but chocolate’s all over her mouth. Hmm.”Hmm can also signaldissatisfaction or disagreement, often as acurt, low-pitchedhm: “Hm. Yeah right. Like you really mean it.” Sometimes,hmm just acts as a place-holder or fills a pause in a conversation: “It’s been great talking with you. Well, hmm, guess I should be going, though.”

As the many meanings ofhmm spread into writing,hmm also took on a life of its own online. Social-media feeds, such as Reddit’s /r/hmm message board or Twitter’s “#hmm” hashtag, designate content that “makes one go hmm,” or consider something withwry skepticism. Thishmmis used to comment on theoddity or ridiculousness of some image or situation.

As noted,hmm isprolifically used in everyday conversation andcolloquial writing. Its meaning widely varies based on context and intonation.

In digital communication, use ofhmm to indicate thought or irony are particularly widespread. To help indicate such tone, many users supplement or substitutehmm with the Thinking Face emoji. The Neutral Face emoji, is sometimes paired withhm, expressing agruffer dissatisfaction.

Hmm is not to be confused withmmm, communicating pleasure, ormhmm, which shows acknowledgment or agreement.

This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.