Meaning & use
lemming
Last updated
A small Arctic rodent, or, figuratively, a person who unthinkingly follows the crowd, especially toward a harmful outcome.
See it in a sentence
Lemmings are known for their periodic population booms and long migrations.
Critics said investors were behaving like lemmings, all buying the same overpriced stock at once.
A note on using this word
The popular idea that lemmings mindlessly march off cliffs to their deaths is a myth, largely popularized by a 1958 nature film; the figurative sense of blind conformity remains common regardless.
Words with a similar meaning
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Words with an opposite meaning
individualist
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