FOMO stands for "Fear of Missing Out." It refers to the anxiety or apprehension that one might experience when they believe that others are having rewarding experiences without them. This feeling can often lead individuals to feel a sense of urgency to participate in social events, trends, or experiences to avoid feeling left out.
The term FOMO was first used in the early 2000s and is believed to have been coined by Patrick McGinnis, who wrote about it in a blog post. It is a combination of the words "fear," "of," and "missing out," reflecting the emotional response to social situations.