doomscrolling

Or doom-scroll·ing

[doom-skroh-ling]

noun

Digital Technology.

1. the practice of obsessively checking online news for updates, especially on social media feeds, with the expectation that the news will be bad, such that the feeling of dread from this negative expectation fuels a compulsion to continue looking for updates in a self-perpetuating cycle.

Word History and Origins

Origin of doomscrolling¹

First recorded in 2016; doomscroll ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Here’s the catch: School usually ends around 3 p.m., but doomscrolling doesn’t.

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“This is a safe space to rest your head whenever the Internet gets too wild with doomscrolling.”

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Somewhat chastened by that thought, one went for a walk; the nearby Mount Vernon Trail might be a good place for distraction from doomscrolling in the imagination.

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And yes, the BBC Sport socials will still have you doomscrolling and laughing in equal measure.

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Or was it "doomscrolling"? Was the young person alone or were they interacting online with friends?

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