10 millennial dating terms

(SPOT.ph) Are you up to speed with modern dating lingo? It’s always a good idea to keep updated with dating terminology—it might just save you a lot of unnecessary drama. Here are 10 millennial dating terms that might help you navigate today’s “swipe right” culture:

BENCHING

The act of keeping someone interested but not really following through.
How it’s done: They’ll flirt with you online, maybe even in person, but all those plans to go out never actually happen. You’re just kept “on the bench.”

FADING

The act of gradually disappearing from a person’s life.
How it’s done: The DM’s, texts, and calls that were once frequent start to slowly trickle down to nothing.

GHOSTING

A more advanced version of fading, wherein the disappearance is more abrupt.
How it’s done: You’re texting one minute, and the next, you never hear from them again. Ever. Poof! They’re gone— just like a ghost (get it?)

TUNING

This is when someone playfully flirts with you in an attempt to change the nature of your relationship.
How it’s done: They’ll actively start leaving complimentary messages on your social media posts and pics. Their messages will turn flirtier… but still neutral enough to deny anything.

Talking or hanging out

Apparently, the word “dating” has been phased out.
How it’s done: They invite you to hang out, possibly with a suggestive eyebrow waggle.

LAYBY

A person who is unhappy in their relationship and is already scouting for a potential replacement.
How it’s done: While in another relationship, they’ll start laying down the groundwork for a new one with you. Expect flirty interactions meant to pique your interest.

BAE

Before Anyone Else. ‘Nuff said.
How it’s done: You unironically start referring to each other as bae. #NoShame

SHIP

The desire for two people to get together.
How it’s done: You really, really, really want two people together and feel kilig when they interact; whether they’re real or fictional doesn’t matter.

DTR

This stands for “define the relationship.” In other words, “the talk.”
How it’s done: Someone drops this acronym, and you know things are about to get serious (or not).

Instead of “I love you,” expect to get heart emojis as a validation of your feelings.

How it’s done: It’s a simple matter of pressing that < sign and the number 3! Much less scary than those three oh-so-important words.

While times have changed, some things still remain the same. Getting closer to the person you like, for example, still requires you to make an actual move. Whether you’re the type to make your intentions known right from the start or you’d rather play it cool, you can get closer with Closeup! Available in Red Hot for that Intense Freshness and Menthol Fresh for that Cooling Freshness, it gives you whiter teeth and fresher breath, so you can radiate with confidence in every date!