Casual relationships

FWB — Friends With BenefitsTwo people who share friendship and physical intimacy with no romantic commitment or exclusivity — held together by one rule: total honesty.See definition →NSA — No Strings AttachedIntimacy with no expectations of follow-up, commitment, or exclusivity. Each meeting stands on its own.See definition →SituationshipA romantic-ish connection with no label or commitment — the undefined grey zone between casual and a relationship.See definition →Casual datingDating without the pressure of a committed relationship — seeing someone (or several people) for fun, chemistry and company, with honest expectations.See definition →Talking stageThe phase after you match or meet but before you’re officially dating — texting, flirting and figuring out whether there’s something there.See definition →Sneaky linkSlang for someone you meet up with discreetly — a casual, low-key connection you keep off social media and away from your friend group.See definition →Cuffing seasonThe colder months, roughly October to February, when single people feel a stronger pull to find someone to spend the winter with.See definition →

Hookups & intimacy

HookupA single, intentional casual encounter two people agree isn’t the start of a relationship — increasingly, named up front.See definition →SextingSending sexually suggestive messages, photos, or voice notes between consenting adults to build chemistry at a distance.See definition →One-night standA single intimate encounter between two consenting adults with no expectation of seeing each other again.See definition →ThreesomeAn intimate encounter involving three consenting adults — a common fantasy that works best with clear agreements made in advance.See definition →

Dating behaviour

GhostingEnding a connection by suddenly cutting off all contact, with no explanation — the opposite of saying what you want.See definition →GaslightingA form of manipulation in which someone makes you doubt your own memory, perception or feelings.See definition →Love bombingOverwhelming someone with attention, compliments and grand gestures early on to win them over fast.See definition →BreadcrumbingSending just enough flirty messages to keep someone interested, without any real intention of meeting or committing.See definition →BenchingKeeping someone as a back-up option — interested enough to stay in touch, never enough to commit.See definition →OrbitingWhen someone stops talking to you but keeps watching your stories and liking your posts.See definition →

Relationship styles

SwingingA lifestyle in which committed couples agree to have intimate experiences with other people, usually together and by shared rules.See definition →Open relationshipA committed relationship in which both partners agree they can date or be intimate with other people.See definition →ENM — Ethical Non-MonogamyAn umbrella term for relationships with more than one partner, where everyone involved knows and agrees.See definition →PolyamoryHaving more than one romantic relationship at the same time, with the full knowledge and consent of everyone involved.See definition →ThroupleA committed romantic relationship between three people who are all involved with each other.See definition →Lavender marriageA marriage of convenience used to hide one or both partners’ sexual orientation, made famous by old Hollywood.See definition →

Identity & attraction

FemboyAn adult man who embraces a feminine look or style — clothes, grooming, mannerisms — without that saying anything fixed about his orientation.See definition →BisexualBeing attracted to more than one gender — most often understood as attraction to both men and women.See definition →PansexualBeing attracted to people regardless of their gender — the person matters, gender doesn’t factor in.See definition →OmnisexualBeing attracted to people of all genders, while gender still plays a role in how that attraction feels.See definition →DemisexualFeeling sexual attraction only after forming a strong emotional bond with someone.See definition →SapiosexualFinding intelligence the most attractive quality in a person — a sharp mind is the turn-on.See definition →