Casual dating glossary
Casual dating glossary: from FWB to situationship
What FWB, NSA, ENM, ghosting and catfishing actually mean, one plain sentence each, so you can say exactly what you want.
In short
Casual dating has its own shorthand: FWB stands for friends with benefits, NSA for no strings attached and ENM for ethical non-monogamy, while a situationship is a connection nobody has put a label on. This glossary explains more than 30 terms like these, from ghosting to catfishing, in one plain sentence each.
- Casual dating means dating without expecting a committed relationship, as agreed by both people.
- FWB, NSA and ENM describe different arrangements, so agree which one you both mean.
- Ghosting, breadcrumbing and love bombing are behaviours worth spotting early.
- Catfishing and romance scams are the main risks: never send money to someone you have not met.
This glossary explains the words you will meet on casual dating sites and apps, from FWB and NSA to ghosting and catfishing, in one plain sentence each. Use it to check what someone means before you reply, and to say clearly what you want yourself.
What do the basic casual dating terms mean?
The basic casual dating terms describe how much commitment two people expect, from none at all to something with feelings but no label.
Casual dating
Casual dating is dating without the expectation of a committed, exclusive relationship, and it works best when both people have said so out loud.
Hookup
A hookup is a casual, no-commitment encounter between two adults who are not in a relationship with each other.
One-night stand
A one-night stand is a single casual encounter where neither person plans to see the other again.
FWB (friends with benefits)
FWB, short for friends with benefits, means two friends who are intimate without being a couple, and who usually stay free to date other people. Read our friends with benefits rules before you start one.
NSA (no strings attached)
NSA, short for no strings attached, describes an arrangement with no commitment and no expectations beyond the time you spend together.
Booty call
A booty call is a late, last-minute invitation to meet up for something casual, usually from someone you have met before.
Discreet dating
Discreet dating means meeting people while keeping your private details private. On Joydate that means a username instead of your name and your town instead of your address.
Situationship
A situationship is a connection that has become more than casual but that neither person has given a label.
Talking stage
The talking stage is the stretch of messaging before a first meet, when two people work out whether they want the same thing.
Rebound
A rebound is someone you date soon after a breakup, often to feel wanted again rather than to start something serious.
Which relationship styles come up on casual dating sites?
The relationship styles you see on casual dating sites go beyond single or taken, and most of them rest on everyone involved knowing and agreeing.
ENM (ethical non-monogamy)
ENM, short for ethical non-monogamy, is the umbrella term for relationships where everyone involved knows and agrees that partners can see other people.
Open relationship
An open relationship is one where a couple agree that one or both of them can date or be intimate with other people.
Polyamory
Polyamory means having, or being open to, more than one loving relationship at the same time, with the knowledge of everyone involved.
Monogamish
Monogamish describes a couple who are mostly monogamous but allow occasional exceptions that they have agreed on together.
Swinging
Swinging is when a couple meets other couples or singles for casual encounters, usually together and by mutual agreement.
Unicorn
A unicorn is a single person, often a bisexual woman, who dates or meets up with an existing couple.
Vanilla
Vanilla means conventional in taste, without kinks; it is a description, not a criticism.
What do ghosting, breadcrumbing and the other dating terms mean?
Ghosting, breadcrumbing and the other dating terms name behaviours that are easier to handle if you recognise them early.
Ghosting
Ghosting is ending contact without any explanation, simply by no longer replying.
Breadcrumbing
Breadcrumbing is sending the occasional flirty message to keep someone interested without any real intention of meeting.
Love bombing
Love bombing is overwhelming someone with attention, compliments and promises very early on. It can be clumsy enthusiasm, but it is also a classic opening move in romance scams.
Benching
Benching is keeping someone on the sidelines as a backup option while you see whether something else works out.
Orbiting
Orbiting is when someone stops talking to you but keeps watching and liking what you post on social media.
Slow fade
The slow fade is ending things gradually by replying less and less, instead of saying it is over.
Red flag and green flag
A red flag is a warning sign in how someone behaves, and a green flag is a sign that they are respectful and genuine.
The ick
The ick is a sudden loss of attraction triggered by something small, like the way someone chews or texts.
Which safety terms should every dater know?
The safety terms every dater should know describe the ways people get deceived online, and the one rule that protects you from most of them is never to send money to someone you have not met.
Catfishing
Catfishing is pretending to be someone else online, usually with stolen photos, to deceive the person you are talking to.
Romance scam
A romance scam is when someone builds an online relationship to get money from you, often by inventing an emergency or an investment. The FTC's advice is simple: never send money or gifts to someone you have not met in person.
Romance baiting (pig butchering)
Romance baiting, also called pig butchering, is a scam that starts on a dating app and then shifts into a fake cryptocurrency or investment opportunity, as Scamwatch explains.
Sextortion
Sextortion is when someone threatens to share intimate images of you unless you pay. Do not pay, stop replying, keep evidence and report it.
Verified profile
A verified profile on Joydate is one with a badge from the free ID check, which tells other members they are talking to a real person.
Consent
Consent is a clear, freely given yes to what happens, and it can be withdrawn at any moment, including halfway through a date.
For what to do when something feels wrong, see how Joydate keeps you safe, which also lists where to report a scam in each country.
Casual dating terms: quick answers
What is the difference between FWB and NSA?
The difference between FWB and NSA is friendship: friends with benefits already know and like each other outside the bedroom, while no strings attached can be between people who barely know each other and expect nothing beyond the time together.
Is casual dating the same as hooking up?
Casual dating is not quite the same as hooking up: casual dating can mean seeing someone regularly without commitment, while a hookup is usually a single encounter. Both work best when everyone involved has said what they want.
How do you say what you are looking for on Joydate?
You say what you are looking for on Joydate in your profile, where you choose the kind of relationship you want. Joydate's match suggestions take the kind of relationship you want into account, along with age, location and interests.
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