- To become deeply absorbed or sidetracked while exploring a topic, often leading to further and further exploration of related, sometimes obscure, details, especially online.
Explanation
Origin
- From Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
- Alice begins her adventure by following the White Rabbit down a rabbit hole, which leads her into a strange, complex, and disorienting underground world.
- The phrase became widely adopted in the internet age to describe getting lost in hyperlinks, research, or complex online discussions.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Got totally lost in...
- Fell into the [topic] vortex.
- Zoned out researching [topic].
- Got sucked down the YouTube hole / Wikipedia hole.
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- Wasted hours down that fucking rabbit hole.
- Got lost in that deep shit online.
Milder/Standard:
- Became deeply engrossed in...
- Got thoroughly sidetracked by...
- Spent a lot of time exploring...
Situational Appropriateness
- Mostly informal.
- Widely understood in contexts involving research, internet browsing, or exploring complex topics.
- Might be used in casual professional settings, but less likely in very formal ones unless talking about research paths.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Non-native speakers might be confused by the literal image. Explain the connection to Alice in Wonderland and the idea of getting lost in a complex, absorbing topic, especially online.
Examples
- I just wanted to look up one fact, but I went down a rabbit hole of Wikipedia articles for hours.
- Be careful researching conspiracy theories; it's easy to go down a rabbit hole.
- She started watching one YouTube video about baking and went down a rabbit hole of cake decorating tutorials.
Dialogue
Alex: Why were you up so late last night?
Mia: Ugh, I made the mistake of looking up the history of a meme. I totally went down the rabbit hole and ended up reading about internet culture from the early 2000s until 3 AM.
Alex: Haha! Been there. Did you find anything good?
Mia: Some weirdly fascinating stuff, actually!
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Meant to do laundry 2 hours ago but accidentally went down a Reddit rabbit hole about unsolved mysteries. Send help (and snacks). #procrastination #rabbitHole #internet
- Instagram Story: (Screenshot of a weird Wikipedia page) Started by looking up 'banana' and somehow ended up here. The internet rabbit hole is real! 😂
Response Patterns
- Oh yeah, I know how that goes!
- Haha, happens to the best of us.
- What did you end up finding?
- Was it interesting, at least?
- You gotta be careful with that!
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After someone mentions going down a rabbit hole:
- People might ask about the topic: What were you researching? or What kind of videos?
- They might share a similar experience: That happened to me last week with...
Conversation Starter
- No.
- Usually describes a past experience or explains why one was occupied or distracted.
Intonation
- Usually stated matter-of-factly or with slight exasperation/amusement at the time spent.
- Emphasis often on down and rabbit hole. I went DOWN a RABBIT HOLE.
Generation Differences
- Very common among Millennials and Gen Z, who grew up with the internet.
- Older generations understand it but might use it less frequently.
Regional Variations
- Common across major English-speaking regions, especially in online contexts.