Learning to speak the dating language is one of the ways to stay updated with the new dating trends. Thanks to online dating, we now have a set of rules and vocabulary, which make stages of dating clearer. Have you ever been ‘soft launched’ on someone’s Instagram or ‘breadcrumbed’ into believing someone likes you? Well, if you have no idea what we are talking about, keep reading to navigate through dating terms we should know about in 2022.
Soft launching
Originally, soft launch was a web term that meant launching a new website in stages. However, as dating slang, it refers to launching a new relationship. It denotes the trend of posting subtle hints on social media that you’re newly dating someone. For instance, showing a hand holding yours without revealing the facial details. If things work out, you might just make it official by sharing photos of each other.
Zombie-ing
Earlier, ghosting was in trend when someone abruptly ended all contact without any explanation. However, what is it called when someone who ghosted you comes back into your life? Well, a zombie is a person who ghosted you but comes back out of nowhere like nothing ever happened. It is clearly a red flag and you should run away as you would with an actual zombie in the picture.
Wokefishing
The term is coined after catfishing, which is when someone assumes a false identity or personality on social media. Wokefishing happens when somebody represents themselves as more progressive than they actually are. This is to impress others or simply act like they know about current social issues even if they are not well-versed. Social activism is essential, but misrepresenting what you believe in is not very woke.
Breadcrumbing
Is someone ‘leading you on’? Well, they are probably breadcrumbing you. Such people engage in occasional chats and conversations, and flirt with you, but never intend to pursue a relationship. The metaphor of breadcrumbing is straight out of Hansel and Gretel – someone is leaving a trail of crumbs to string you along. This can happen with exes too who might just pop up when you start moving on. If you’re someone who has faced breadcrumbing, it’s best to seek closure and confront the person.
The Hey-ter
You’re definitely a ‘hey-ter’ if you ignore conversations that start with a simple ‘Hey’. The worst conversation starter for online dating is a simple ‘Hey’. Where is all the wit and charm? The conversation ends before it begins if you use a ‘Hi’ or ‘Hey’.
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Coronesty
This is the phenomena where the Coronavirus has made daters more honest. Being straightforward about your dating intentions has become popular because of the pandemic. For several months, nobody was able to date in-person because of the quarantine and lockdowns, which made people’s patience for small talk decrease. These days, dating is more upfront and to the point. Nobody has time for polite chit-chat and most ask on the first go what each other’s dating goals are and if they align.