FOMO
Anxious concern that other people are having a rewarding experience without you.
By Cal Hewitt, Gen X · Researched from public sources · ·
What it actually means
FOMO is the fear of missing out on a social event, opportunity, trend, or better choice. It can motivate people to join in, but it can also fuel comparison and overcommitment. It is common in social-media talk but predates modern apps.
See the quick definition in the FOMO dictionary entry.
Where it came from
Patrick J. McGinnis says he coined FOMO, along with FOBO, in a 2004 Harvard Business School student-newspaper article after using the concept in his friend group. The term then spread far beyond campus and became a standard internet-age label.
Commonly credited to Patrick J. McGinnis (2004), well-documented.
Where it's popular
Social media, consumer culture, investing talk, and social planning.
It is now used globally in English.
How it caught on
- 2002McGinnis says he began using the idea in his Harvard social circle.
- 2004He published FOMO and FOBO in a student newspaper.
- 2010sSocial media made FOMO a widely recognized term.
How to use it
“I did not even want to go, but FOMO got me out the door.”
Joining an event from fear of missing it.
“Do not buy it just because of FOMO.”
Warning against impulse decisions.
Common mix-ups
FOMO is not a medical diagnosis by itself, though persistent anxiety about missing out can be distressing.
Do you actually know it?
FOMO check
0/31. FOMO stands for:
2. Who coined FOMO?
3. FOBO means:
Related slang
Questions people ask
What does FOMO stand for?
Fear of missing out.
Who coined FOMO?
Patrick J. McGinnis credits himself with coining it in 2004.
What is JOMO?
Joy of missing out, a contrasting idea about being content not participating.
FOMO's companion term FOBO means fear of a better option.
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