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
Normalize missing out Helping your child navigate FOMO is all about learning to build perspective and resilience.
—
Parents,
27 June 2026
The limited details about what Bezos’ AI lab is trying to do opens him up to critics who say the billionaire’s endeavor may amount to him using his clout to get institutional investors to throw gobs of money to chase after AI FOMO.
—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
11 June 2026
Many a club’s board would have twitched in the face of the bare data, but the chain of command above Arteta stayed the course, and the FOMO is so high that tickets for Palace away this weekend are going for £45,000 ($60,000) on resale sites.
—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Most of all, the overwhelming sense for those watching from home was intense FOMO.
—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
Is Treefort Music Fest giving you a bad case of FOMO already?
—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Mar. 2026
This Fear Of Missing Out — aka FOMO — could be another major catalyst in younger people’s mass return to theaters.
—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Mar. 2026
For some people, Brewer said, excessive hype triggers FOMO (a fear of missing out).
—
Anna Holmes,
The Atlantic,
11 Mar. 2026
Avoid these common mistakes for a trip that's both free of FOMO—by choosing the right destination, for example—and full of incredible experiences suited to your travel style.
—
Skye Sherman,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Feb. 2026
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Parents,
27 June 2026
The limited details about what Bezos’ AI lab is trying to do opens him up to critics who say the billionaire’s endeavor may amount to him using his clout to get institutional investors to throw gobs of money to chase after AI FOMO.
—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
11 June 2026
Many a club’s board would have twitched in the face of the bare data, but the chain of command above Arteta stayed the course, and the FOMO is so high that tickets for Palace away this weekend are going for £45,000 ($60,000) on resale sites.
—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Most of all, the overwhelming sense for those watching from home was intense FOMO.
—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
Is Treefort Music Fest giving you a bad case of FOMO already?
—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Mar. 2026
This Fear Of Missing Out — aka FOMO — could be another major catalyst in younger people’s mass return to theaters.
—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Mar. 2026
For some people, Brewer said, excessive hype triggers FOMO (a fear of missing out).
—
Anna Holmes,
The Atlantic,
11 Mar. 2026
Avoid these common mistakes for a trip that's both free of FOMO—by choosing the right destination, for example—and full of incredible experiences suited to your travel style.
—
Skye Sherman,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“FOMO.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/FOMO. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
FOMO
noun
: fear of missing out
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