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

See Examples For:

FOMO

"Fleadh FOMO" too – the fear of missing out on a session while you're somewhere else.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

But perhaps the best part about this upcoming slate of shows is that none of them are particularly essential; there’s little danger of pop-culture FOMO.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026

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

FOMO, or fear of missing out, suddenly shifted to get me out as the previously extreme upward momentum in those asset classes suddenly reversed.

From Barron's ● Feb. 7, 2026

Blame “the debasement trade,” international tensions or just FOMO, but gold surged past $5,000 a troy ounce for the first time ever overnight.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 26, 2026