As a millennial who’s not into casual dating, keeping up with dating lingo is a herculean task. It is already tough to navigate through a potential partner’s red flags.
Having a whole dictionary dedicated to dating slang just adds to the pressure.
However, if you look at it from a positive lens, these terms cover the massive grey area between being single and in a relationship.
Hence, a part of me is extremely happy that Gen-Z is willing to take risks and switch things around when it comes to finding the partner they need — be it for a particular phase or for life.
Tinder recently released its Modern Dating Dictionary — a glossary of love language that Tinder members in the country swear by, and I think we can learn a lot from it.
Here are 12 new Gen-Z dating terms you need to know to be successful in the world of online dating:
1. DTR (define the relationship)
DTR (define the relationship) is a modern dating lingo that refers to a conversation between two individuals in a relationship trying to find out the relationship status.
2. Orbiting
Orbiting refers to the act of scrolling the social media handle of the ex-partner post-breakup.
3. Situationship
A romantic relationship is noncommittal and the people dating have not defined their relationship status. Perhaps, a situationship can be said to be a casual dating experience.
4. Ghosting
Ghosting refers to a situation when an individual abruptly ends the communication without any clarifications in a relationship.
5. Breadcrumbing
Breadcrumbing is a manipulative act of keeping the other individual interested in a romantic relationship through noncommittal flirtatious behaviour generally on social media.
6. Zombieing
Zombieing is a dating term that means the return of the individual who disappeared from your life or in other words the one who ghosted you.
7. Pocketing
The act of hiding the relationship or avoiding introducing their partner to friends, family, and social circle is known as pocketing.
8. Love haze
Love haze refers to the head-over-heel love experience in the initial stages of the relationship in which an individual overlooks the red flags in the relationship.
9. Textationship
Textationship is a dating term that refers to an emotional connection over texting without physical intimacy and in-person interactions.
10. Love bombing
Demonstrating too much affection, love, and care to gain control over the relationship is said to be getting as ‘loved bombed’ by the romantic partner.
11. Cookie jarring
Cookie jarring refers to an act of keeping backup options while being committed to a relationship.
12. Sober dating
Sober dating is a recent dating trend that refers to alcohol-free dating preference.
