{"id":111393,"date":"2026-10-29T17:07:42","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T17:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/glossary\/fomo\/"},"modified":"2026-10-29T17:07:51","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T17:07:51","slug":"fomo","status":"publish","type":"glossary","link":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/en\/glossary\/fomo\/","title":{"rendered":"FOMO"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

FOMO<\/strong> is the fear of missing out: the feeling that other people are enjoying an experience, a deal or something new that you’re left out of. It’s the acronym for fear of missing out<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n

On social media, it’s used to describe the unease you feel when you see what others are doing. In marketing, it describes messages that encourage people to decide quickly, such as an offer that ends today or limited spots.<\/p>\n\n

What does FOMO mean?<\/h2>\n\n

FOMO stands for fear of missing out<\/em>. When someone says “I’ve got FOMO”, they mean they’re worried about being left out of a plan, a trend or an opportunity.<\/p>\n\n

The term was popularized by Patrick McGinnis in 2004, in an article for The Harbus<\/em>, the Harvard Business School student newspaper. In it, he wrote about classmates who signed up for everything for fear of missing out on something important.<\/p>\n\n

In 2013, a study by Andrew Przybylski and other researchers published in Computers in Human Behavior<\/em> defined it as the constant worry that others are having rewarding experiences without you. That study linked FOMO to heavier use of social media.<\/p>\n\n

FOMO on social media and in everyday life<\/h2>\n\n

Social media is the perfect setting for FOMO. You see photos of a concert, a trip or a dinner, and you feel like you’re missing out.<\/p>\n\n

Some typical signs:<\/p>\n\n