noun

FOMO

FOH-moh

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FOMO (noun) means Fear of missing out: the uneasy feeling that others are having rewarding experiences you are being left out of, often prompted by seeing them online. Example: “She booked the trip out of pure FOMO.”

noun

informal Fear of missing out: the uneasy feeling that others are having rewarding experiences you are being left out of, often prompted by seeing them online.

"She booked the trip out of pure FOMO."

"Scrolling other people's holidays is a reliable way to give yourself FOMO."

How to use FOMO

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe worry that you are missing out on something everyone else is enjoying.

When to use it

Informal, though now common in mainstream journalism and marketing.

Easily confused with

JOMO

Common pairings

serious FOMO out of FOMO FOMO kicked in

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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She booked the trip out of pure _____.

Etymology

An initialism of "fear of missing out," which came into wide use with social media in the 2000s and 2010s.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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fear of missing out

Rhymes for FOMO

Como homo tomo momo promo Shlomo

See all rhymes for FOMO →

Frequently asked questions

What does FOMO stand for?

Fear of missing out — the anxious sense that other people are enjoying something you are not part of.

What is the opposite of FOMO?

JOMO, the joy of missing out: deliberately staying out of something and being glad of it.

Is FOMO written in capitals?

Usually, because it is an initialism — FOMO. Lower-case "fomo" is common in casual writing and is not wrong, just less formal.

What is the meaning of FOMO?

"FOMO" (noun) means fear of missing out: the uneasy feeling that others are having rewarding experiences you are being left out of, often prompted by seeing them online.