What Dating Terminology Is Gen Z Using in 2025?

The words people use to describe their romantic lives say something about the era they live in. Gen Z has built a vocabulary for dating that older generations struggle to parse. Terms spread through TikTok, get codified on dating apps, and enter common speech within weeks. Dating coach Amy Chan told USA Today that modern dating has become so baffling that people invent new words to process what happens to them. “Modern dating has gotten so complicated that we need new words just to describe what’s happening to us,” she said. This lexicon now runs deep, covering everything from subtle relationship announcements to specific forms of emotional manipulation.

The Soft Launch and Its Appeal

A soft launch allows someone to hint at a new relationship without showing their partner’s face. A cropped photo of two hands, a shoulder in frame, or a second coffee cup on the table all qualify. Psychreg describes it as a way to subtly signal you are dating without revealing who. The practice has become common in 2025, according to Vocal Media, driven by the idea that relationships are complex and fluid, with no rush to make things official for public consumption.

FirstDate reports that daters in their 30s and 40s use soft launching more often than younger people. The reason has less to do with fear of commitment and more to do with awareness of stakes. A 2024 survey by SocialSignals found that 68% of singles prefer a gradual reveal when it comes to new relationships.

Situationships Still Dominate

The situationship remains a defining structure for Gen Z romantic entanglement. It describes a romantic or sexual relationship that exists without a formal label. These setups often lack boundaries or commitment, leaving both parties in ambiguity about where they stand. Unlike traditional dating or exclusive partnerships, situationships blur the line between friends with benefits and something more serious.

Hinge’s Director of Relationship Science, Logan Ury, advises those seeking long-term relationships to end situationships with people who are fun but not ready for commitment. According to Hinge data, 47% of their users said going on more dates is their top dating goal for 2025.

Relationship Types Beyond the App

Gen Z terminology covers more than behavior patterns and dating app habits. It also describes how people approach different relationship structures. Some prefer situationships with their ambiguity and flexibility, while others seek arrangements with clear terms from the start, including those who identify as a sugar baby or pursue age-gap partnerships.

The language used to describe these choices reflects a generation comfortable with variety. Labels like cuffing partner, friends with benefits, or exclusive situationship all coexist without hierarchy. Each term carries specific meaning, and using the right one signals intent to potential partners.

Toxic Behaviors Get Named

Banksying describes when one partner quietly checks out of a relationship while pretending everything is fine. Professional matchmaker Dara Rahill defined the term for NBC’s Today show. Dating coach Amy Chan told USA Today that while the behavior has existed for some time, it is becoming more common. She cited dating apps and poor etiquette as the most likely cause.

OUT Magazine reports that Banksying involves reduced texting, missed phone calls, invented excuses to cancel plans, and emotional distance. Relationship coach Ally Iseman explains that “Banksying involves enough interaction, albeit sparse and inconsistent, to sabotage the relationship from the inside.”

Benching works like its sports equivalent. Someone puts you on the sideline to date other people, usually after you do something that annoys them, according to Bark. Breadcrumbing is related but distinct. It describes when someone leads you on through flirting and attention without any intention to commit, leaving a trail that keeps you attached.

Floodlighting and Oversharing

Psychologist Brené Brown coined the term floodlighting, according to The Guardian. It describes oversharing personal information with someone you are dating early on, sometimes on the first date. Mashable explains that floodlighting means sharing too many intimate details too soon. According to Brown, this is not a vulnerability and actually works to repel actual vulnerability.

Shreking: Looks as Secondary

Fox 5 NY explains that shreking means purposely looking less attractive to take the focus off appearance. The idea centers on valuing personality, kindness, and connection instead. SheKnows offers a less flattering interpretation: in Gen Z dating terms, shreking is dating someone you are not physically attracted to, hoping they will treat you well. The publication calls it settling in advance with the risk of disappointment.

Freak Matching and Niche Interests

Freak matching refers to bonding with someone over offbeat or niche interests. The Week reports that almost 40% of survey respondents have connected with someone based on this kind of unconventional compatibility, as mentioned by Vice. Bumble’s 2025 Global Dating Trends report confirms that 49% of Gen Z singles agree that geeking out on something together is a form of intimacy.

Bumble also reports that niche communities like book clubs and run clubs, plus fandoms and quirky interests, are changing who people date and how they connect. Nearly 46% of singles surveyed said unique and quirky interests are key to attraction.

Seasonal and Low-Stakes Terms

Cuffing season refers specifically to winter, when people want someone to snuggle with during colder months, as reported by Bark. The term implies temporary coupling that may not outlast the season.

A beige flag, according to The Knot, describes unoriginal or dull dating app prompt responses, photos, or conversation starters. It can also refer to a partner’s innocuous habits and quirks that are neither good nor bad.

Micro-mance and Small Gestures

Bumble’s 2025 dating trends report describes micro-mance as romance through small gestures rather than grand ones. Sending memes, sharing a playlist, or developing inside jokes all count. According to their survey, 86% of singles agree that how people show affection has changed to include these behaviors.

Swamping: Dropping the Performance

Psychreg defines swamping as letting go of a polished presentation common in early dating stages. The term reflects embracing authentic comfort, from messy hair to no makeup to wearing pajamas. Swamping encourages dropping performance in favor of genuine presentation.

The Data Behind the Words

Hinge’s 2025 Gen Z D.A.T.E. Report surveyed approximately 30,000 users worldwide. It found that 84% of Gen Z Hinge daters are seeking new ways to build emotional intimacy, even as hesitation, gendered expectations, and a lack of meaningful questions on dates hold them back.

Lovehoney’s sex and relationship expert Annabelle Knight told Psychreg that keeping up with Gen Z lingo can be hard and that “it can sometimes feel like the generational gap continues to widen.” The vocabulary keeps expanding, and each new term fills a gap that older language could not address. Learning it matters for anyone trying to communicate intentions in modern romance.