payalnayak23No matter if we are single or are in a relationship, the jargon of Gen Z is a striking style to attract others. Many inexperienced Gen Z people are unfamiliar with these new-age relationship terms, which we believe, people should remain aware of. It’ll avoid quite many awkward and uncool moments. No, knowing these relationship terms is not a matter of knowledge, but a matter of saving ourselves from visible heartbreaks and the moments of loneliness that come after.
Evolution seems to be very natural in today’s era, and when it comes to these new-age relationship terms, they’re also evolving by the day as people become more complicated than before. It’s sad but true. Life, experiences, and varying personalities are contributing to different viewpoints towards relationships.
Like love, dating, relationships, new-age relationship terms are also defined by some jargon, which we are going to share with you know through this article.
Love languages may differ from person to person but for the millennials, sometimes it feels like there are more than five love languages. But by understanding these new-age relationship terms, we can have more clarity in the kind of people we’re dating and if we want to continue!
12 New-Age Relationship Terms
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Open relationship
In the vast division of consensual non-monogamous relationships is an open relationship. They define relationships in a new direction where both the spouse can pursue satisfaction, emotional attachments, and sex with other people. Not everyone is willing to admit that they are in an open relationship because of the social stigmas attached to it. Although, there is a conclusive research that there are several people now opting for open relationships to meet their different needs.
2. Cookie jar relationships
Dating two or three or many people to eventually decide who will be the better fit as a partner is very common these days. But one of the new-age relationship terms is a cookie jar relationship. It means taking advantage of one of those as a backup while investing the entire effort into someone else is known as cookie jarring.
People seeking perfection in their relationships or in their partners usually tend to practice cookie jarring, meaning bottling up options in a jar like we do with cookies.
3. Mooning
Generally, in dating lingo, mooning is similar to how we keep our mobile on do not disturb mode. We do receive calls and messages, but don’t hear the notifications. Practicing the same behavior in our dating life, where one partner ignores the other. They know of their partner’s existence, but still avoid one another, not because of a fight, but simply because they do not want to talk or don’t like to follow a routine. Even though not one of the most sweetest of the new-age relationship terms, people are bending more towards mooning considering their stress levels and lack of sensitivity, in some cases.
4. Benching
We can also call this one of the new-age relationship terms as bread-crumbing. It means one partner does not want to meet in person and wishes to carry on the relationship by talking, chatting, flirting and sexting via phone, an app or over social media. So, it’s basically like benching one person, like we do in sports, while the partner continues to play the field outside.
There are many signs to figure out benching, like they talk only at their convenient times, ignore when you need them, and even make you feel guilty for wanting more.
And then the question arises: why do they do so? Maybe because they want someone else, or they don’t like us. Or maybe, they’re already involved with someone, and you’re the affair. So, it’s kind of like cheating but we, the Gen Z, has given it one among the new-age relationship terms – BENCHING.
5. Tuning
Tuning is also one of the types of new-age relationship terms that we can use probably when we want someone to be with us or we want to date someone. It is a slow process but a good and effective one. If a person is a tuner, they probably want or hope to change the dynamic frequency with their partner to eventually make a move.
This is a kind of flirting but in a limited and more casual manner. So, if the opposite person refuses to accept the move, the tuner can back off calling it just a joke or a prank. Smart!
6. Ghosting
When we talk about GHOSTING, it’s like someone appears in our life for some time and then suddenly they disappear, just like ghosts. GHosting is the evil one of the new-age relationship terms. It hurts to be ghosted, someone walking out, without a reason, explanation, or communication. People afraid of confrontation and commitment tend to ghost their partners.
7. Umfriend
Friend or girlfriend/boyfriend? Don’t know? Then you’re in the middle, called umfriend according to the new-age relationship terms. You know that phase, when you are with someone, but it isn’t official because neither of you have made the move? This is just that! Are you a friend? No, we’re more! Are you his girlfriend? No, not yet!
8. Orbiting Ex or Exing
Stalking your ex? Orbiting ex or exing is yet another of the new-age relationship terms that means a break-up status but still hung to your ex. We have the privilege of social media, where we still get to keep a tab on what people are up to, including our exes. That’s… well, tempting, isn’t it? Although, this behavior is very common. Most times, partners keep their profiles visible for their exes to see.
9. Passive relationship
A relationship needs the support of both partners, but it’s very normal to have a passive partner these days. An unbalanced relationship where one partner is free-falling into the relationship while the other is too passive to notice things doesn’t really last long, at least not peacefully.
There’s a very thin line between okay and not okay. And passive relationship is that new-age relationship term that more bends towards “not okay.”
10. On-off Relationships
Loves me or loves me not? There’s no better way to explain on-off relationships than to cite Ross and Rachel’s example. (I hope you know that they’re characters from the famous sitcom F.R.I.E.N.D.S). There’s love… lots of it. But is there patience, mutual understanding, or the willingness to communicate feelings? If the answer is no, no, and no, then the relationship becomes like a switch. One time, it’s on. And then one of them suddenly ends it only to get back together again.
They’re easy to end, but not easy to stick to the decision. Evidently, they’re one of the most painful of relationships because it involves not one but several moments of hurt and heartbreak. Many young adults may have experienced this relationship cycling or churning. This may work for some people, but mentally it creates distress eventually. It’s our choice to make this break-up-make-up a pattern in our life or to say goodbye.
You know what it is, but you also know that it now has an official name in the list of new-age relationship terms.
11. Instant Relationships
Instant relationships are very different thing from the other new-age relationship terms. It can be defined as a sudden behavior triggered by an attraction to someone. It starts with eye contact, moves on to a “hello,” and then maybe flirting. In no time the couple is out on a dinner dates, and then the rest isn’t unknown. All of this happens within a short span.
Even if it’s not too intense, it’s strong. Sometimes, it works, but most times it doesn’t. Dating someone based on physical attraction is difficult to last because it the personalities and natures that need to match. But in intense relationships, we choose someone unconsciously and based on a hormone-related feeling.
This is totally different from meeting a person, slowly understanding them, and then starting a relationship.
12. Slow-fade
Remember that feeling of falling in love? Are those sparks, butterflies, and romance still present in your relationship?
Imagine!! You wake up one day and realize your partner isn’t the same. There are no good morning kisses, no good night hugs. There’s nothing to feel special. You’re together, but just together. There’s no sense of togetherness. That’s called slow-fading according to the new-age relationship terms. Sounds familiar?
Why does it happen? There are many reasons. Maybe, the couple has fallen out of love, they’re bored with one another, they’re unwilling to take the next step in their relationship, and the like.
This is becoming a trending new-age relationship term where we decide to end the relationship but convey it via our actions. Although, not all slow-fading relationships need to end in a break-up. If the couple addresses the elephant in the room, they can work on bring back the spark if there’s a mutual agreement of wanting to stay together.
Now you know some of the new-age relationship terms. The description does make it all sound very common, doesn’t it? Just add some fancy words to it, and voila, it’s a new-age relationship term. But, love is hard to find. If you think the person is it, then work on these areas than regretting later!
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