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From Cuffing To Zombie-ing: The Dating Terms We Learnt In 2023
Whether you're swiping right or diving into the world of virtual romance, here's a guide to the dating lingos of this year before you enter 2024
Updated Dec 10, 2023 , 07:00 PM IST
Credit: Instagram
For young millennials and GenZ, 2023 was the year of new experiences and putting yourself out there without worrying, aka, Dating For The Plot. As technology and culture evolved, so did our language of love. From breadcrumbing to NATO, our glossary saw new additions that we may (or may not) have needed. Yet, if you’re navigating the trails of modern dating, this glossary of 2023’s most prominent dating terms is worth having.
Cookie-Jarring
Cookie-jarring is the situation in which a person pursues multiple relationships as a backup or security blanket, while they focus their efforts on the main partner. This is basically taking advantage of individuals with no intention of turning their association into a long-term relationship.
Fizzling
You must have heard about ghosting, where your significant other might just stop texting after a date. But Fizzling is a more petty version of ghosting, where your partner/date starts engaging less and less to the point of being unresponsive, slowly making you realise that they are not into you.
Zombie-ing
This one is self-explanatory. While ghosting involves a sudden disappearance, zombie-ing is its opposite. Similar to zombies rising from the dead, zombie-ing is when someone who previously ghosted you unexpectedly reappears in your life, acting as if they never ghosted you.
Breadcrumbing 2.0
An updated version of breadcrumbing, this involves leaving digital clues or traces of interest on social media platforms to keep someone on the periphery of your romantic life without committing to anything substantial.
Situationship
No dating term describes 2023 better than Situationship. This happens when two people act like they are together, but are not really committed. This is as label-less as GenZ dating gets.
Vulturing
This term describes the act of swooping in on someone who has recently ended a relationship. Vulturing involves taking advantage of the vulnerability of a freshly single individual.
Pocketing
Entering a new relationship? Beware of pocketing, also known as "stashing," where your partner keeps you hidden from family and friends, essentially tucking you away. While it may not always be a red flag, open communication is key.
Haunting
Still checking up on your ex's social media? Cut it out. Haunting is the act of online snooping on past romantic interests. Whether you're stalking an ex or someone who ghosted you is doing the haunting, it's time to break the cycle and move on.
Orbiting
Similar to haunting, orbiting involves keeping someone in your social media orbit even if you no longer communicate. If an ex or former date watches your stories and engages with your posts, it's time to set clear boundaries.
NATO (Not Attached To Outcomes)
Also known as dating for the plot, this kind of dating involves not worrying about the outcomes of your relationship or looking for your ‘happily ever after’. Young individuals today are looking for more meaningful experiences in dating instead of long-term fixed commitments.
Cuffing
Cuffing is a seasonal trend where people seek a romantic partner, often in the fall or winter months, for the primary purpose of having a temporary relationship during the colder seasons. The idea is that people want to be "cuffed" or tied down with a partner to enjoy the cosiness and companionship during the colder, holiday-filled months. Come summer, and the cuffs are free to come off.
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