cash mob: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “cash mob” mean?
A group of people who gather at a predetermined time at a specific local business with the intention of making purchases to support it.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A group of people who gather at a predetermined time at a specific local business with the intention of making purchases to support it.
An organized form of grassroots economic activism, often arranged via social media, designed to provide a sudden influx of revenue to a struggling or worthy small business or community-focused enterprise.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant structural differences. The phenomenon and term originated in and are slightly more reported in American contexts.
Connotations
Identical positive, community-support connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Marginally more frequent in American English media, but remains a low-frequency term in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “cash mob” in a Sentence
[Organizers] organized a cash mob for [a local business].A cash mob descended on [the shop].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cash mob” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The neighbourhood group decided to cash mob the family-run bakery before it closed.
American English
- Let's cash mob that new hardware store on Main Street this Saturday.
adjective
British English
- The cash-mob event was a great success for the florist.
American English
- They used a cash-mob strategy to boost the café's revenue.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in small business journalism and community economic development discussions.
Academic
Rare; might appear in sociology or marketing papers on grassroots activism.
Everyday
Used by community organisers and participants in local economic support initiatives.
Technical
Not a technical term in any established field.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cash mob”
- Using 'cash mob' to mean any large crowd of shoppers (e.g., Black Friday crowds). The term implies organisation and a specific supportive intent.
- Confusing it with a 'protest' or 'sit-in'; it is explicitly a pro-business activity.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a specific subtype. While a flash mob involves a sudden gathering for a performance or spectacle, a cash mob's purpose is specifically to spend money at a targeted business.
They are usually organised by community activists, local business associations, or concerned residents using social media and word-of-mouth.
Usually, yes. Organisers often coordinate with the business to ensure they are prepared with sufficient stock and staff.
No, it is an informal, grassroots term from community activism and local journalism.
A group of people who gather at a predetermined time at a specific local business with the intention of making purchases to support it.
Cash mob: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkæʃ ˌmɒb/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkæʃ ˌmɑːb/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'flash mob' that suddenly dances, but a 'CASH mob' suddenly spends CASH to save a shop.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS A SPONTANEOUS GATHERING (of consumers).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of a cash mob?