All thanks to The New York Post, they have compiled a list of the WORST dating terms that have been used the most throughout this past decade.

 

 

 

Cuffing Season

Noun — the time period between October and March when people settle down into committed relationships 

Who wants to be single for the holidays? Cuffing, which takes its name from handcuffs, is a winter dating phenomenon. For some, it’s about avoiding the age-old “where’s your boyfriend?” question during the holidays. Others just seek a warm body during the cold months.”

 

 

DTR

Verb — to define the relationship

“MTV’s “Awkward” popularized this abbreviation in 2011, when the teens on the show were hooking up and messing with each other’s feelings: was it just sex or something more? Yes, there came a time in any relationship when it was clear both parties liked one another — perhaps one could even say “going steady.” But the exact title of “boyfriend” or “girlfriend” had not been established. This was when one needed to DTR, and have a conversation about what’s going on. Time was of the essence in 2011!”

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4YEVxfg_EE/

 

 

Cougar

Noun — an older woman who dates a younger man

Examples: Kate Beckinsale, Demi Moore, Madonna, Wendy Williams, Jennifer Lopez.

“First added to the dictionary in 2011, “cougar” became a mainstay of our vernacular with shows such as “Cougar Town,” starring Courteney Cox.  As The Post wrote when their relationship blossomed, the term “cougar” officially became “a vestige of a deeply misogynistic past.”

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3eAS1KAw2C/

 

 

Bromance

Noun — when two men love each other in a non-romantic way

“This term was created by presumably insecure straight men to use when they want to show their affection to another man, but they don’t want anyone to think they’re gay. Though this term was floated before the decade’s start, it was rightfully added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2011. Buddy comedies, such as “21 Jump Street” and “Horrible Bosses,” helped stamp the phrase into the zeitgeist. Even former President Barack Obama and his VP Joe Biden’s friendship has been called a bromance.”

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/qBoc3ZuBab/

 

 

Revenge Porn

Noun — sexts posted online as a form of blackmail without the consent of the person who originally sent them

“With sexting came its dark criminal side, now illegal in New York and several other states. In 2017, Rob Kardashian posted nude photos of his recent ex, Blac Chyna, after she allegedly cheated on him.”

 

 

Swipe

Verb — to select a match option on a dating app 

“First, there was Tinder. Then came Bumble and Hinge and Grindr and Coffee Meets Bagel and all the rest. Swipe right to match with someone, swipe left to pass. With one fell finger motion, the world became a much more complicated place than the Craigslist personals page. Now, with every single hottie in the world available at their fingertips, daters are getting tired of the selection process. Worried that they’re swiping past “the one,” people are swiping right on just about anyone who seems palatable and are feeling fatigued over the lack of success.”

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5Bj93PH0en/

 

 

Enthusiastic Consent

Noun — unquestionable agreement to sexual interaction, necessary to have any sort of sexual interaction 

“Yes, there are funny dating terms. But this decade also brought an important discussion of consent in the midst of high profile rape cases, such as Stanford’s Brock Turner. Necessarily, colleges began to talk more about how important it is for partners to verbalize their agreement with one another before partaking in anything sexual together. And thus the term “enthusiastic consent” was born — clunky, but needed. “If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no,” was echoed by resident advisers through the hallways of dorms everywhere.”

 

 

Catfish

Verb — to trick someone through a false online persona.

Noun — a fake online persona

“Spawned by the hit documentary reality show “Catfish,” the term came to haunt online dating this decade, beginning in 2012.  A lesson was born: Don’t get in an online relationship with someone you haven’t video chatted with, or who hasn’t proved to be who they say they are.”

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5_bYa-nugE/

 

 

Ghosting

Verb — to break up with someone by ignoring them

“The term boomed in 2015, when it was reported that Charlize Theron said she broke up with Sean Penn by ignoring his calls and texts, a rumor she denies. This incredibly disrespectful act has become so popular that offshoots of ghosting now exist, to specify which form of conflict avoidance one is partaking in. See also: “trickle ghosting,” or the act of suddenly stopping communication with someone, only to come back into their lives every now and then to lead them on. Or, “cloaking,” meaning to stand someone up on a date set up on a dating app, and then block all contact with that person on the app.”

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4kgjPegZL4/

 

Netflix and Chill

Verb — to invite someone over under the guise of streaming shows together, with the intention of spending the day hooking up

“We can chalk this trend up to the internet. In 2015, Tweeters flooded social media with jokes about their favourite makeout play.”

 

Sliding into DMs

Verb — getting in touch with someone to flirt via the direct messaging function on Twitter or Instagram

“If it’s after midnight and you’re sliding through direct messages like an Olympic figure skater, something is about to go down. Many a romance has been struck in this matter.”

 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsOMJ6AldaS/

 

 

Orbiting

Noun — when a person who ghosted you continues to publicly interact with you on social media

“It was 2018’s answer to “ghosting,” only, instead of totally falling off the face of the Earth, this tactic goes an extra, hellish step further by offering glimmers of appearances through social media. Yes, your ex may be gone, but he’ll never be forgotten — especially since he keeps “liking” those selfies you’ve been posting.”

 

Emojis

Noun — symbols for male genitalia and butts 

“By the end of this grueling decade, we may have lost our ability to verbally communicate.  Instead, emojis stand in for words implicating sex.  Eggplants and peaches carry sexual tension in every text.”