Attachment style
Attachment style is a pattern of behavior in close relationships that forms in childhood and…
View moreGlossary
Short entries about relationships, dating and getting to know people. One definition you can take with you, plus a few sentences of context.
Alphabetical list of entries
Benching
Benching means someone keeps you "on the bench" — minimal contact, an occasional message or like —…
View moreBreadcrumbing
Breadcrumbing is doling out small signs of interest — a message, a like, an occasional "hey, how…
View moreCatfishing
Catfishing means creating a fake identity on a dating app or social network — someone else's…
View moreChemistry
Chemistry between people is the feeling of instant attraction and easy connection that shows up as…
View moreDating apps for a serious relationship
A dating app for a serious relationship is one whose mechanics and community are oriented toward…
View moreDigital detox date
A digital detox date is one where both people deliberately put their phones away to focus fully on…
View moreDTR (define the relationship)
DTR stands for "define the relationship" — a conversation where two people openly name what they…
View moreEmotional immaturity
Emotional immaturity in a relationship shows up as an inability to work through conflict, take…
View moreExclusivity
Exclusivity in a relationship means an explicit agreement that neither partner is seeing or dating…
View moreFake profile
A fake profile is a dating app account that doesn't belong to the person in the photos, or that…
View moreFlirting
Flirting is a playful, slightly ambiguous form of communication that signals romantic or sexual…
View moreFreak matching
Freak matching describes two people connecting over a shared unusual interest or quirk that…
View moreFriend zone
The friend zone describes a situation where one person feels romantic interest but the other sees…
View moreGaslighting
Gaslighting is a form of emotional manipulation where one person repeatedly undermines the other's…
View moreGhosting
Ghosting means someone stops communicating without explanation or a goodbye — they stop answering…
View moreGhostlighting
Ghostlighting combines ghosting and gaslighting — someone disappears without explanation first…
View moreGolden retriever partner / black cat partner
A golden retriever partner describes someone open, friendly, and trusting, without emotional games.…
View moreLove bombing
Love bombing is an overwhelming display of affection early in dating — constant messages, grand…
View moreLove languages
Love languages are a concept describing five ways people give and receive love: words of…
View moreMicro-mance
A micro-mance is a short, intense romantic relationship that both people see as temporary from the…
View moreNo contact rule
The no contact rule is a deliberate decision after a breakup to cut off all communication with an…
View moreOrbiting
Orbiting is when someone stops communicating with you directly but stays active on your social…
View moreRed flag / green flag
A red flag is a warning sign in a partner's behavior that points to a future problem in the…
View moreSituationship
A situationship is a relationship that sits somewhere between friendship and partnership — two…
View moreSlow fade
A slow fade is a gradual, unspoken end to a relationship or a dating connection — contact thins…
View moreSuper Like
A Super Like is a feature on dating apps that lets a user flag stronger interest in a specific…
View moreSwipe fatigue
Swipe fatigue is the sense of exhaustion and indifference that comes from scrolling through dating…
View moreTalking stage
The talking stage is the early getting-to-know-you period before a first date or shortly after it,…
View moreToxic relationship
A toxic relationship is one where behavior that harms one or both partners' wellbeing — control,…
View moreZombieing
Zombieing is when someone who ghosted reappears in the other person's life — a message, a like,…
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