Zombied, Sasquatched, and Mermaided — Every Millennial Dating Term Explained
Just wait until you hear about getting Draked.
Millennials are a curious generation — they have changed the way people drink wine, buy diamonds, and many believe they are witches. Aside from the obvious “all millenials are annoying” shtick that so many Gen X’rs believe, millennials are shaping the world into a much more colorful place than ever before. Some may even say — a more magical place. Thanks, Harry Potter!
The dating scene is no different. Millennials have come up with nearly an entire dictionary of dating terms based off of their foibles in the love realm. UrbanDictionary.com is constantly stockpiling these terms from the internet, but it still hasn’t caught up with some of the newest ones. Today I am bringing you a complete list of new dating terms for your informational enjoyment.
Bae
Everyone’s favorite term, it means babe.
Benching
Who even likes baseball? This is basically keeping your options open. It’s the act of setting one relationship down for another. While the “bencher” may go back to this relationship if something else happens to the other one.
Breadcrumbing
Leading someone on. It’s leaving little pieces of a relationship for the person to cling on to without actually taking the plunge.
Cloaking
The expanded form of ghosting. The ghoster doesn’t just stop communicating with you, but they have actually blocked you on social media as well. You probably wouldn’t want to date someone who cloaks people anyway.
Cuffing/uncuffing
Winter is known as “cuffing season” where people find a bae to spend the season not alone with, until probably after Valentine’s Day. After that, it’s uncuffing season.
Curve
This one is fun to give that person who is being super flirtatious with you while you are in the club (R.I.P. clubs) but you are super not interested. It’s when you show them every sign of disinterest you possibly can.
“Hey my name is Mark, what’s yours?”
“That’s nice,” (looks away.)
Ouch.
Cushioning
Brace for impact. This is when things aren’t going well in a relationship and either party starts hanging or flirting with other people. It is trying something new before you make a return.
Dateview
Date + Interview=Dateview. When you are on a first date with someone and they ask you every piece of relevant information such as thoughts on marriage, kids, where you’d like to live, or maybe even your blood type. It’s insane.
Demisexual
One of my personal favorites — and no, it’s not because it has my name in it. It’s when you become more sexually interested in someone after an emotional connection has been established. It’s extremely healthy.
Drakeing
When you are with someone and they keep going on and on about a past relationship. It’s incredibly awkward for anyone listening. It’s even worse if they start listening to “I Get Lonely” full blast and on repeat.
DTR
It’s “having the talk” about the relationship. It stands for “define the relationship.”
Firedooring
Fire doors only open from one side — therefore, this is when a relationship is completely one-sided.
Ghosting
Ghosting is when a person just disappears from someone socially. If someone has simply stopped talking to you, you’ve been ghosted.
Haunting
Slightly different than orbiting (see below). This is when someone who you were romantically involved with has stopped talking to you but continues to watch your stories on social media. Without liking anything.
Incel
These people live their lives on the internet in such a way that is has left them “involuntarily celibate.” They stop bathing, spend time trolling 8chan or Qanon message boards, and probably live in their mother’s basement.
Kittenfishing
It’s like catfishing, where they send a picture of someone different completely, but instead they send you an older picture of when they were younger, and presumably better looking.
Left on read
Applies to iPhone users or direct messages on social media. It’s after you send them a message and it says they have read it, but they never responded. You’ve been left on read.
Love Bombing
The beginning stages of the relationship where you just can’t keep your hands off each other. Example is when the new couple who cannot keep their hands off each other on the subway and everyone has to watch in horror. It’s relationship terrorism.
Mermaiding
Ala Ariel in The Little Mermaid — Ariel gave up her voice and her life in the ocean for the man of her dreams, Ursula pulled the switch and thwarted Ariel by marrying Prince Eric. This is when you give up everything for the one you love, only to be ignored or sidelined by an evil witch… Or just someone else.
Credit: Mykel Thompson
Micro-cheating
Shady. This is an act that you hide from your partner that would probably hurt them. It’s sliding into someone’s DM’s, flirting, or texting but not actually following through. And yes, it’s still cheating if they don’t approve.
Negging
A backhanded compliment. Regina George approved.
Orbiting
This is when someone you like keeps liking your photos or responding to your Instagram stories, maybe even messaging, but you never actually meet up.
Pansexual
Different than bisexual — which implies being attracted to boys and girls, it is when you are attracted to someone regardless of gender — which includes gender-nonconforming individuals.
Phubbing
Ignoring someone to be on their phone. Everyone is guilty AF!
Polyamorous
This is when you are in a relationship but are free to explore relationships with other people. Just be sure to remember those honesty and communication skills.
Roaching
This is when someone hides the fact they are dating around. It’s basically cheating, but perhaps the relationship hasn’t been established yet.
Sasquatching
This one is fun! Just kidding. This is when you go on a date or hook up with someone in the wilderness and they leave you stranded. Yeah it has happened, and yeah it’s f**ked up.
Credit: Mykel Thompson
Sex Interview
When you meet someone for coffee (or similar) to gauge whether or not you will have sex with them.
Situationship
It’s a relationship because of an outside situation such as housing, shared finances, kids, etc.
Snack
Yummy! It’s when someone looks deliciously sexy. (I’d prefer not to be a snack, myself. I’d rather be someone’s whole meal!)
Stashing
Updated version of pocketing — it’s when someone doesn’t post pictures of you two on social media, or is not introducing you to friends and family. They may be keeping their options open.
Stealthing
This one is pretty messed up. It’s secretly taking off a condom during intercourse.
Submarining
This is like ghosting, except they re-emerge from the great beyond after a while and pretend like nothing has happened.
Slow fade
This is when a relationship slowly dwindles into nothingness. Does no one really communicate anymore?!
Thirst trap
A sexy picture of yourself, posted on social media.
Tindstagramming
When someone swipes right on your Tinder then finds you on instagramming. Unless otherwise told where you can find their Instagram, it is essentially cyber stalking.
Zombieing
This is when a dead relationship is resurrected. Maybe an old ex casually drops you a “hi” after a long stint of silence.
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this listicle. Be sure you follow me on social media on Instagram and Twitter. Or you can catch my podcast, A Cosmic Journey with Demi and J. Also stay tuned for my latest book, #HookupHorrorStories coming in 2021!
Godspeed, starseeds!
-Demi
