informal
: fear of missing out : fear of not being included in something (such as an interesting or enjoyable activity) that others are experiencing
If anyone in history should have died from FOMO, it would be Emily Dickinson, an agoraphobe who virtually never left her house …—
O. The Oprah Magazine
O. The Oprah MagazineIn 2018, I was in Rome for Thanksgiving—the first time I had been out of the country for a major holiday. My family never felt so far away, and all I wanted was to be home. This was dramatic, of course, brought on by end-of-semester stress and strong FOMO.—Gretchen Wright
compare jomo
Gretchen WrightExamples of FOMO in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While Adrien Brody And Mikey Madison Take Home Top Acting Honors
Coupled with FOMO, or the Fear of Missing Out, this can lead to impulsive decisions, especially when a trend dominates conversations.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Companies have poured billions into AI—buying tech, absorbing startups, stockpiling GPUs—but many of those investments were driven by CXO FOMO, rather than strategy.
—Christian Monberg, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
But traveling with kids has a way of softening FOMO: those stone temples have been there for a millennium, and Tove will only be a giddy six-year-old for a heartbeat.
—Naomi Tomky, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2025
Mendieta’s event-promotion company, FOMO Entertainment Group, will also produce the Ribs N Brew Fest on Feb. 22 at Sunset Cove Amphitheater and the South Florida Watermelon Festival on April 12-13, also at South County Regional Park.
—Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2025
The logic: the U.S. official bitcoin stockpile would trigger global FOMO.
—Nina Bambysheva, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
Lead with thoughtfulness about gifting instead of FOMO Love suggests prioritizing thoughtful gifts over expensive ones, in addition to considering alternatives like DIY gifts or experiences, which can often be more meaningful.
—Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 6 Dec. 2024
The track was about reclaiming my time and power and not getting sucked into FOMO.
—Charles Moss, SPIN, 6 Dec. 2024
Financial services organizations are succumbing to AI FOMO (fear of missing out) and scrambling to acquire skilled workers before their competitors.
—Parijat Banerjee, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
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Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Companies have poured billions into AI—buying tech, absorbing startups, stockpiling GPUs—but many of those investments were driven by CXO FOMO, rather than strategy.
—Christian Monberg, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
But traveling with kids has a way of softening FOMO: those stone temples have been there for a millennium, and Tove will only be a giddy six-year-old for a heartbeat.
—Naomi Tomky, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2025
Mendieta’s event-promotion company, FOMO Entertainment Group, will also produce the Ribs N Brew Fest on Feb. 22 at Sunset Cove Amphitheater and the South Florida Watermelon Festival on April 12-13, also at South County Regional Park.
—Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2025
The logic: the U.S. official bitcoin stockpile would trigger global FOMO.
—Nina Bambysheva, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
Lead with thoughtfulness about gifting instead of FOMO Love suggests prioritizing thoughtful gifts over expensive ones, in addition to considering alternatives like DIY gifts or experiences, which can often be more meaningful.
—Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 6 Dec. 2024
The track was about reclaiming my time and power and not getting sucked into FOMO.
—Charles Moss, SPIN, 6 Dec. 2024
Financial services organizations are succumbing to AI FOMO (fear of missing out) and scrambling to acquire skilled workers before their competitors.
—Parijat Banerjee, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“FOMO.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/FOMO. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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