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Meaning & use

fandom

noun·Everydayinformal

Last updated

UK/ˈfændəm/
US/ˈfændəm/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable or uncountableinformal

    The community of devoted fans of a particular show, band, book, game or team, considered as a group.

    Grammar: Countable for a particular community (the Star Wars fandom) and uncountable for the general culture.

    Patterns

    • the something fandom
    • a member of the fandom

    The show's fandom organized a charity event for the cast.

    She has been part of the anime fandom for ten years.

    Online fandom can be both welcoming and intense.

  2. noununcountableinformal

    The state or activity of being a fan, with passion for the thing admired.

    Grammar: Uncountable; describes the enthusiasm itself.

    Patterns

    • fandom of something

    His fandom shows in the posters on every wall.

    Their fandom for the team began in childhood.

    Fandom can turn a quiet reader into a convention-goer.

Word forms

pluralfandoms

Common combinations

join a fandom
He joined the fandom after watching the first season.
online fandom
Online fandom grew quickly around the new series.
fandom community
The fandom community shares fan art and theories.
devoted fandom
The band has a devoted fandom across the globe.
fandom culture
Fandom culture has its own slang and traditions.

Synonyms and how they differ

fan base
Fan base counts the supporters of something, while fandom stresses the community and shared culture.
following
Following is a general word for supporters and does not imply close community.
supporters
Supporters is the common word for sports and causes, while fandom suits entertainment and hobbies.
fan club
A fan club is an organized official group, whereas a fandom is often looser and unofficial.

Word family

fan noun
an enthusiastic admirer
fanatic noun
a person with extreme enthusiasm
fanbase noun
the supporters of a particular thing
fanfiction noun
stories written by fans about existing characters
fanzine noun
a magazine made by fans

Commonly confused: fandom or fanaticism?

fandom vs fanaticism

Fanaticism means extreme, uncritical devotion and is negative, while fandom is mostly neutral or positive.

Practice

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