Dating lingo 101: Here's what you need to know about love in 2022
Trends come and go, but love could last forever so let's help you find it!
Sometimes it can be hard to keep up with all the latest trends, especially when it comes to new lingo.
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And it always seems like the older you get the harder it is to keep up.
Luckily, we're here to fill you in and keep you up to date on what's hip and happening in the world.
In the last few years, we've all been introduced to various new terms in the world of dating like catfishing, ghosting and much more.
But they are all so 2020 and as we head into the new year, here's what you need to know about the latest in dating terminology.
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Kittenfishing
Don't worry, this does not involve actual kittens and fishing equipment.
In fact, kittenfishing is actually just catfishing lite.
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According to Dictionary.com, kittenfishing is "the act of making oneself appear more desirable in online dating apps, especially through the use of old or edited photos and inflated profile descriptions."
In the case of catfishing, a person will pretend to be someone completely different instead by assuming a fake identity.
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Hinge, a popular dating app, conducted a survey and found that 38% of men and 24% of women reported being kittensfished, but that 2% of men and 1% of women report having kittenfished. This would suggest that most people aren't really aware that they are guilty of kittenfishing.
Cushioning
This is kind of a throwback but it's making a comeback in 2022. It is also the shadiest trend we've seen so far.
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Urban dictionary describes it as: "A dating technique where along with your main piece you also have several 'cushions', other people you'll chat and flirt with to cushion the potential blow of your main break-up and not leave you alone."
There’s more to cushioning than meets the eye. There’s a hugely self-preservatory and potential relationship-building angle to it too. You could be dating someone new and maybe you’re crushing on them just a smidgen harder than they’re crushing on you. Or maybe you’re not sure where you stand yet, but you’re feeling overly enthusiastic about it.
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Benching
We are sorry to do this to you but bear with us as we quickly use a sports metaphor to explain this one.
If you are part of a rugby team or soccer team you might be put on the bench - this is when a player finds themselves on the sidelines and not on the field playing the game.
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That is what happens when your potential partner decides to bench you.
Unfortunately, this means they are not yet convinced that you are for sure, for sure, the one.
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Breadcrumbing
This one is a close relative of ghosting and it is as obvious as it sounds.
Breadcrumbing is when you just thought you have been connecting with a potential future love interest, you're clicking and they string you along with flirty messages, ignore you for a while before re-entering your life trying to reconnect.
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So there you have it, not all of them might be as positive as one would hope the more you know.
We can't wait to see everything 2022 has in store.
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