flash mob

or flash·mob

[ flash-mob ]
/ ˈflæʃˌmɒb /

noun

a group of people mobilized by social media to meet in a public place for the purpose of doing an unusual or entertaining activity of short duration: The flash mob brought wide smiles to the faces of commuters waiting for their train.
a group of teenagers who have contacted each other by cell phone and social media and gather in an area to trash it or to mug and beat passersby.

verb (used with object), flash mobbed, flash mob·bing.

to crowd around (a place or person) in a flash mob: Dancing teenagers flash mobbed the store.
to commit violence against (a place or person) in a flash mob: The mayor imposed a curfew on all males under the age of 18 after two blocks of downtown Philadelphia were flash mobbed and severely damaged.

verb (used without object), flash mobbed, flash mob·bing.

to organize or take part in a flash mob.

Origin of flash mob

2000–05; flash in the sense of ‘quick'; on the model of smart mob

OTHER WORDS FROM flash mob

flash mobber, flash mobster, noun

British Dictionary definitions for flash mob

flash mob

noun

a group of people coordinated by email and social media to meet to perform some predetermined action at a particular place and time and then disperse quickly

Derived forms of flash mob

flashmobbing, noun