Dictionary Definition
fad n : an interest followed with exaggerated
zeal; "he always follows the latest fads"; "it was all the rage
that season" [syn: craze,
furor, furore, cult, rage]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
American, [fExtensive Definition
A trend is something that
somehow becomes popular within mainstream society over a long
period of time. It is the direction of a sequence of events that
has some momentum and durability.
A fad is something that is
very popular with a small group of people for a short period of
time.
A craze is often interchanged
with a fad by which it describes a product, idea, cultural movement
or model that gains popularity among a small section of the
populace then quickly migrates to the mainstream. Crazes are
characterized by their lightning fast adoption and just as swift
departure from public awareness. Crazes and fads are also
characterized by their unusually high interest/sales figures
relative to the time they are active in the marketplace as compared
with other similar products, ideas, cultural movements or
models.
It is interesting to note
that, despite the negative or counterproductive results of crazes
and fads, some respectable companies still around today got their
start by purposely or accidentally creating a fad or craze.
Examples include:
Starbucks
Coffee: Howard
Schultz returned to the U.S. after spending time in Italy. He
noticed how coffee bars were very popular there and introduced the
concept to Americans. Due to the novelty of buying an expensive,
robust coffee product in a comfortable cafe, Americans quickly
spread positive word-of-mouth
creating a craze.
fad in French: Liste des
phénomènes de mode
fad in Dutch:
Rage
fad in Japanese:
流行
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
best seller, big hit, boutade, brainstorm, brilliant
success, capriccio,
caprice, chic, conceit, crank, craze, crazy idea, crotchet, cry, faddiness, faddishness, faddism, faddist, fancy, fantastic notion, fantasy, flimflam, fool notion, freak, freakish inspiration,
furore, gas, gasser, great success,
harebrained idea, hit,
humor, killing, kink, maggot, megrim, meteoric success,
mode, momentary success,
notion, novelty, passing fancy, quirk, rage, resounding triumph, riot, roaring success, sensation, smash, smash hit, style, toy, triumph, vagary, vogue, whim, whim-wham, whimsy, wow, wrinkle