fomo
/ˈfoʊmoʊ/
Very CommonFear of missing out on something fun, exciting, or socially important.
Often used to explain why you did something you didn't want to do, or why you feel bad about not going. Can be genuine or self-deprecating.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | stayed home to study and now i have massive fomo seeing everyone's stories | Made the responsible choice but is now regretting it after seeing social media. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | i didn't even want to go but the fomo got me | Went to the event despite not wanting to, driven purely by fear of missing out. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 03 | why do i have fomo for a party i wasn't even invited to | Feeling left out of something you had no chance of attending. | reddit, 2024 |
| 04 | no fomo, i chose to stay in and i'm at peace with it | Actively resisting the urge to feel bad about missing something. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- You feel bad about skipping an event after seeing posts about it.
- You went somewhere you didn't want to go just to avoid feeling left out.
- You're scrolling through posts and wishing you were there.
- Someone is explaining why they overcommit to social plans.
Do not use it when
- You just changed your mind about attending something.
- You feel anxious about missing a deadline or opportunity at work.
Variations and related forms
Fomo vs jomo
fomo
Fomo is the anxiety of missing out on what others are doing.
VS
jomo
Jomo is the opposite: joy found in opting out and being alone.
Origin and context
Acronym for Fear Of Missing Out. Coined in the early 2000s and widely spread through social media culture as platforms like Instagram made it easy to see what others were doing in real time.
- First seen
- 2004
- Confidence
- medium
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Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/fomoUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0