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
The stock last made all time highs during the meme stock era of 2021, alongside names like Peloton, Lucid Motors and the like.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 12 May 2025
The Rise of the Risk-Seeker Easy gains over the last decade have created a new breed of investor: one that starts with meme stocks, moves to crypto, and ends up speculating on NFTs, sports, or more and more exotic types of new entertainment.
—Shane Enete, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
The exhibitor’s once high-flying meme stock is moving sideways in after-market trade at around $2.70.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 May 2025
The meme stock jumped more than 7% in extended trading Tuesday following the news.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for meme stock
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 12 May 2025
The Rise of the Risk-Seeker Easy gains over the last decade have created a new breed of investor: one that starts with meme stocks, moves to crypto, and ends up speculating on NFTs, sports, or more and more exotic types of new entertainment.
—Shane Enete, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
The exhibitor’s once high-flying meme stock is moving sideways in after-market trade at around $2.70.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 May 2025
The meme stock jumped more than 7% in extended trading Tuesday following the news.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 26 Mar. 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 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share