Delusionship: “A situation where you find yourself imagining someone you’re not officially in a relationship with yet.”
Love bombing: “It involves showering a new partner with excessive attention, gifts, and time at the beginning of a relationship. However, once the honeymoon phase ends, the love bomber often loses interest and becomes distant.”
Hot-girl summer: “Prioritising one’s own happiness and having fun.”
Affordating: “A budget-friendly way of dating that involves choosing low-cost date activities and splitting expenses equally.”
Nanoship: “A short-term, casual connection that’s free of expectations and long-term commitment.”
Cookie jarring: “When one pursues a relationship to have as a back-up plan or safety net, with no real love.”
Zombieing: “When someone who previously ghosted you reappears out of the blue, wanting to reconnect.”
Love haze: “The initial stages of a relationship where you overlook red flags”
Situationship: “A situationship blurs the lines between friendship and commitment, lacking defined boundaries or expectations. It’s that uncertain complicated space where connections grow and thrive.”
Ghosting: “Ending a relationship or communication with someone abruptly and without explanation, typically in the context of online dating or texting.”
Breadcrumbing: “Sending flirtatious but non-committal messages or signals to keep someone interested without making a serious commitment.”
Roommate syndrome: “When a romantic relationship begins to feel platonic once cohabitation begins.”
Benching: “Keeping someone on the sidelines or in reserve as a potential romantic option, without fully committing to them or investing in the relationship.”
Textlashionship: “A romantic relationship based on messaging/chatting only.”
Cushioning: “Having backup options, to soften the blow if a primary relationship ends.”
Flirtationship: “Casual flirting for fun, without emotional attachment.”
Rizz up: “To attract someone’s attention and make them like you in a romantic or sexual way, or to try to do this by behaving in a particular way”