meme stock

noun

plural meme stocks

: a stock (see stock entry 1 sense 2a) that experiences a temporary sudden surge in popularity and price due to a coordinated effort (such as a viral social media campaign) by small investors

… 'meme stock' refers to a stock that attains viral attention on social media platforms, but predominately Reddit.

—Andrew Rocco

The theory was that if enough small investors got in the game and drove the stock higher, it would force large hedge funds with short positions (bets that the stock would fall), to capitulate and sell those positions at a massive loss. … that dynamic appears to be driving the stocks of GameStop, AMC, and other so-called meme stocks.

—Michelle Chapman

Price spikes in several meme stocks appear to be linked to the amount of talk about them on r/WallStreetBets, a forum on Reddit, a discussion website whose users are known for mischief-making. From this comes the name: an internet meme being an idea or behaviour, usually a humorous one, spread via social media.

—The Economist

—often hyphenated before another noun

meme-stock investors

the meme-stock craze

Examples of meme stock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Gold in recent weeks had been trading more like a meme stock than a safe haven. —John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026

The online brokerage debuted its platinum credit card this month, going up against industry stalwarts like American Express and JPMorgan Chase, as part of Tenev’s drive to broaden its reach beyond the meme stock traders and crypto buyers who have driven its growth. —Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 13 Mar. 2026

Oil is trading like a meme stock. —Jim Edwards, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026

This group also centered focus on AMC and years later moved onto a new class of meme stocks including Opendoor and Kohl's . —Alex Harring, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2019, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for meme stock

• aftershock
• antiknock
• arawak
• hollyhock
• interlock
• isopach
• manioc
• shuttlecock
• tomahawk
• weathercock
• alcock
• beanstalk