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
Andrew RoccoThe 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
Michelle ChapmanPrice 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 nounThe Economistmeme-stock investors
the meme-stock craze
Examples of meme stock in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Retail trading has ballooned globally, as a combination of the bull run in some major markets, the prevalence of smartphone apps, and the meme stock phenomenon led more individuals to take up investing.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2025
On the other hand, past bubbles have usually happened in an environment of very easy money—most recently with the NFT and meme stock bubbles.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
To be sure, the new iteration of the fund reflects the new generation of meme stocks.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
Bottom Line American Eagle is not just a meme stock.
—John Buckingham, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for meme stock
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Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2025
On the other hand, past bubbles have usually happened in an environment of very easy money—most recently with the NFT and meme stock bubbles.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
To be sure, the new iteration of the fund reflects the new generation of meme stocks.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
Bottom Line American Eagle is not just a meme stock.
—John Buckingham, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for meme stock
Cite this Entry
“Meme stock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meme%20stock. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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