FOMO

American  

[foh-moh] / ˈfoʊ moʊ /

Or fomo

noun

Slang.

1. a feeling of anxiety or insecurity over the possibility of missing out on something, as an event or an opportunity.

   If I say no to a party invitation, I get a bad case of FOMO.

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Usage

What does FOMO mean? Short for fear of missing out, FOMO is an anxious feeling you get when you feel other people might be having a good time without you. In the digital age, FOMO often leads to a constant checking of social media to see what your friends are doing.

Etymology

Origin of FOMO

First recorded in 2000–05; f(ear) o(f) m(issing) o(ut)

Example Sentences

But the pansexual Lestat de Lioncourt transformed them into rebellious, romantic figures, the stuff of adolescent FOMO, as opposed to decaying ghouls.

From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026

‘The spending that hurts people isn’t the big intentional splurge. It’s spending driven by FOMO.’

From MarketWatch • Jun. 12, 2026

Chris Ryan, CEO of Ryan Investments in Aspen, Colo., says much of the rally since April has been fueled by FOMO, or fear of missing out.

From Barron's • Oct. 23, 2025

It seems that young people are spending long hours on these social-media platforms mainly because of FOMO: fear of missing out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 2, 2025

So you’re forgiven if you’re developing a bad case of northern lights FOMO.

From Slate • Oct. 16, 2024