doomscroll

present singular third person doomscrolls · participle present doomscrolling · participle past doomscrolled · past doomscrolled

1. neologismmediaTo continually read Internet news about catastrophic events.First known use 2020

   Keep a book in your bag to avoid the temptation to doomscroll.

   2022 January 1, “100 ways to slightly improve your life without really trying”, in The Guardian

   4 more examples

   You doomscroll about all kinds of things including pandemics, racial injustice, natural disasters, wars, and political unrest.

   2020, Robert West, chapter 1, in Stop Doomscrolling: How to Break the Cycle to Relieve Stress, Decrease Anxiety, and Regain Your Life, Annus Mirabilis Publishing

   “Why are you doomscrolling?” I ask. ¶ “I’m not doomscrolling.” Swipe, swipe...

   2021, Jesse Gordon, “We’re All in This Together”, in El Cassetto, Cream-Colored Coffee Cup

   “The world is burning!” she says, imagining their [20-year-olds] dark thoughts. “There’s wars all over! My heart is so heavy, so all I’m going to do is doomscroll.”

   2025 September 15, Rebecca Liu, quoting Sandra Oh, “‘The old white patriarchy isn’t knocking on my door!’ Sandra Oh on joy, despair – and going viral with a euphoric dance”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   “You might think you can look and tell the difference while you’re sitting there doom scrolling,” he said. “Believe me, you can’t. That’s where our methods come in.”

   2026 June 14, Eli Saslow, Erin Schaff, “The World’s Leading Deepfake Expert No Longer Trusts His Own Eyes”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

2. broadlymediaTo excessively and unproductively consume Internet posts.

   It sucks that I can't even open my phone and check my emails without doomscrolling social media for an hour!