Doomscrolling
noun /ˈduːm.skroʊ.lɪŋ/ — Compulsively consuming negative news online.
Definition
The act of spending excessive time scrolling through disturbing, upsetting, or negative news online — often late at night or during moments of anxiety. Doomscrolling triggers an anxiety loop: the distress leads to more searching, which produces more distress.
Beyond the definition
Doomscrolling is the mind trying to solve an unsolvable problem by gathering more data — as if enough information would resolve the helplessness. It rarely does.
Origin & history
Emerged as internet slang around 2018–2020, entering mainstream use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Added to Merriam-Webster in 2020.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She recognized the pattern at 2 a.m.: phone, bad news, more bad news, worse, unable to stop — classic doomscrolling.
The term gave people language for what they'd been doing without knowing it had a name.
Doomscrolling is the anxious mind's attempt at control through knowledge — and it never quite works.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Doomscrolling” when the meaning fits your context: The act of spending excessive time scrolling through disturbing, upsetting, or negative news online — often late at night or during moments of anxiety. Doomscrolling triggers an anxiety loop: the distress leads to more searching, which produces more distress.
Synonyms
doomsurfing, negative news bingeing
Antonyms
digital detox, mindful consumption
Related words
Doomscrolling vs mindless scrolling
Mindless scrolling is habitual and often neutral. Doomscrolling specifically refers to the anxiety-inducing act of obsessively consuming negative or catastrophic news.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Exhaustion Amidst a Chaotic Crowd
An adult sits on a park bench head in hands surrounded by a swirling, chaotic flow.
The figure's exhaustion amidst a chaotic, moving environment illustrates the emotional toll of doomscrolling. The person is overwhelmed by the incessant movement around them, reflecting how consuming a constant stream of upsetting information creates a loop of distress and deep mental fatigue.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Doomscrolling" mean?
Doomscrolling is noun meaning: Compulsively consuming negative news online.. The act of spending excessive time scrolling through disturbing, upsetting, or negative news online — often late at night or during moments of anxiety. Doomscrolling triggers an anxiety loop: the distress leads to more searching, which produces more distress.
Where does the word "Doomscrolling" come from?
Emerged as internet slang around 2018–2020, entering mainstream use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Added to Merriam-Webster in 2020.