Meanings
nounmean world syndrome (uncountable)
- uncountableA phenomenon whereby violence-related content of mass media makes viewers believe that the world is more dangerous than it actually is.
Origin
Coined by George Gerbner.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
mean world syndrome. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mean%20world%20syndrome
MLA
“mean world syndrome.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mean%20world%20syndrome. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mean world syndrome,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mean%20world%20syndrome.
Source: mean world syndrome on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.