What does "doomer" mean?
One who believes that petroleum depletion will inevitably lead to a severe recession or depression, followed by a Malthusian catastrophe.
Doomer
/ˈduːmə(ɹ)/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who believes that petroleum depletion will inevitably lead to a severe recession or depression, followed by a Malthusian catastrophe.
- Grammar: doomer is listed as noun, slang.
- Usage evidence: Those who suggest the likely return of the four horsemen of the apocalypse (famine, pestilence, war, and death) are more vocal than ever before despite being labeled Malthusian or just "doomer."
How to use "doomer"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "doomer" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
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- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "doomer" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who believes that petroleum depletion will inevitably lead to a severe recession or depression, followed by a Malthusian catastrophe.
"Those who suggest the likely return of the four horsemen of the apocalypse (famine, pestilence, war, and death) are more vocal than ever before despite being labeled Malthusian or just "doomer.""
- 2 A player of the video game Doom. informal
"Doomers, ranging from children to senior citizens, are up all night hunting specters, imps, and other hellspawn, battling each other in so-called Deathmatch tournaments, and checking out the latest Doom lore by conversing with the game’s developers over computer chat lines. […] What’s ahead for Doomers? Id has authorized a company called Austin Virtual Gaming to license an eight-screen Doom arcade setup around the country."
- 3 Alternative letter-case form of Doomer (“player of DOOM”). alt-of
"Along with many, many other places where DOOMers frequent. […] NOTE DMCL Distribution Please feel free to distribute the list to anywhere the DOOMers may be."
- 4 Someone who is apathetic or has a negative prospect towards the world. capitalized, neologism, sometimes
"Doomers, meanwhile, are the nihilistic cousins of “Bloomers” and “Gloomers,” all three gradients of the same 20-something. Whereas Bloomers are well adjusted and Gloomers are depressed because they are not, Doomers have simply stopped trying. They are no longer pursuing friendships or relationships, and get no joy from anything because they know that the world is coming to an end."
- 5 Alternative letter-case form of doomer. alt-of
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Someone who is apathetic or has a negative prospect towards the world.; A techno-pessimist, in particular concerning artificial intelligence. capitalized, neologism, sometimes
"To this day, some doomers work on the inside, nudging the big A.I. labs toward caution, and some work on the outside, arguing that the big A.I. labs should not exist."
- 7 One who, or that which, dooms or pronounces sentence; judge. rare
"Are not the heavens doomers of men's deedes?"
Example
"Those who suggest the likely return of the four horsemen of the apocalypse (famine, pestilence, war, and death) are more vocal than ever before despite being labeled Malthusian or just "doomer.""
Common questions
How do you use "doomer" in a sentence?
Those who suggest the likely return of the four horsemen of the apocalypse (famine, pestilence, war, and death) are more vocal than ever before despite being labeled Malthusian or just "doomer."
How do you pronounce "doomer"?
Pronounced /ˈduːmə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English domere, from Old English dōmere (“judge”), equivalent to doom + -er. The more recent sense was popularized via a meme, “30 Year-Old Boomer”. The derivations of which are other words that end in -oomer, describing various personality types.
Etymology 2
From Doom + -er.
Etymology 3
From DOOM + -er.