Modern Dating Slang 2025: From banksying to ghostlighting, what they really mean

From disappearing acts to recycling the same toxic patterns, the internet’s latest dating terms reflect just how confusing love in the digital age has become. (Image: Pexels)

Dating in 2025 is no less than unpaid overtime. Between endless swipes, coffee catch-ups, and the occasional spark that fizzles out overnight, it often feels like a full-time job without weekends off. Just when people thought it couldn’t get more complicated, the internet has thrown in a fresh batch of dating slang—turning modern heartbreak into a quirky vocabulary lesson.

The newest terms aren’t just playful wordplay; they reflect the patterns of dating in the digital era, where attention spans are short, commitment is rare, and confusion is common.

Here’s a look at the internet’s latest glossary of messy dating behaviour:

Banksying
Inspired by the mysterious street artist, Banksying describes the experience of being hyped up and intensely flirted with, only to have the other person vanish without a trace. One day, it feels like a whirlwind romance, and the next, you’re left questioning if it even happened.

Reverse Catfishing
A rare twist in dating apps—this happens when someone actually looks better in person than in their heavily filtered social media pictures. Ironically, it leaves others wondering if being hotter offline is a scam.

Shrekking
Borrowing from the fairytale ogre, this is about people who surprise you with layers. They may not have Bollywood-level looks in their profile, but once you get to know them, they turn out to be a green flag with hidden charm.

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Submarining
A classic déjà vu move. Someone disappears without explanation (ghosting), only to resurface months later acting like nothing ever happened. Usually accompanied by a late-night “Hey, long time” text.

Monkey Barring
This is when someone refuses to be single even for a moment. Much like swinging from one monkey bar to the next, they line up the next partner before the current relationship has fully ended.

Groundhogging
Much like the movie Groundhog Day, this term is for people who keep dating the same type of partner—even though it never works out. Different faces, same plot, same heartbreak.

Carouselling
The never-ending loop of swiping, chatting, maybe grabbing coffee, and then going back to square one. Fun in the beginning, but exhausting once you realise weeks have passed and you’re still narrating your favourite movie story on repeat.

Also Read: Gen Z wants potential partners, friends to 'match their freak'. Here's what the viral term means

Ghostlighting
Perhaps the most confusing of all, ghostlighting is a mix of ghosting and gaslighting. The person shows affection, disappears, and later reappears denying what they did, leaving you questioning your memory and your trust.

Modern dating is already messy, but the internet’s ever-growing glossary of heartbreak gives people a way to label these patterns. Whether it’s Banksying or ghostlighting, one thing is clear: love in the age of swipes is complicated, unpredictable, and occasionally absurd.