# fandom

/fˈændəm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fandom
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a group of fans

noun · CEFR B2

all the fans of a particular person, team, or creative work, seen as one big group.

For teachers: the collective body of fans associated with a specific person, sports team, or fictional universe.

- The singer has a huge fandom that follows her to every concert.
- The local football team's fandom remained loyal even after a decade of disappointing results in the national league.

### 2. fan subculture

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

the community and activities created by fans, such as writing stories or making art about what they love.

For teachers: the subculture composed of fans characterized by social interaction and creative production related to their shared interest.

- She spent her weekends active in the sci-fi fandom, writing stories online.
- Online fandom has transformed how television producers interact with their audience, often leading to direct changes in a show's direction based on viewer feedback.

### 3. the state of being a fan

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

the feeling or state of being a dedicated fan of something.

For teachers: the state or condition of being a fan; the intensity of one's devotion to a particular interest.

- His lifelong fandom began when he saw his first comic book at age five.
- Sociologists have begun to study the psychological drivers of fandom, examining why certain individuals form such deep emotional attachments to fictional characters.

## Examples

- The Star Wars fandom is famous for its creative costumes.
- Social media has allowed the fandom to organize global events and share fan art within seconds of a new episode release.
- While a fandom can provide a profound sense of belonging for its members, it can also become exclusionary when internal debates over canon or authenticity turn into gatekeeping.

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