These days you do need a little studying to pursue a romantic life because there are new Gen-Z dating terms for everything now. And we are about to add some more to your love language, literally. It’s time to be smutten with your fine-wining, fiscally attractive beau who is your freak match. Get out your notebooks, we’re about to impart some knowledge.
A survey done by the dating app ‘Plenty of Fish’ has revealed a new list of terms to up the ante of your 2025 dating game, even if it is still 2 months away. It seems like we are truly incorporating authenticity and acceptance in every aspect of our lives, icks and all. Rachel DeAlto, a dating expert on Plenty of Fish says, “When we put less pressure on ourselves, dating becomes more about having fun and enjoying new experiences.” Well, we wholeheartedly agree. Gone are the days of – are they or are they not – we now have less space for ambiguity as we have a name for almost each and every dating situation.
Here are 7 new dating trends that will be popular in 2025. Some of them are fun Gen-Z dating terms, while others offer a look at how many are now looking for more serious bonding potential. So, it’s time to make a note and add some new Gen Z terms to your dating vocabulary.
1. Smutten
No it has nothing to do with “smut.” With romantic storylines of books, movies, and TV shows taking over our imaginations, we find ourselves fantasizing about something like that happening to us in real life. And that’s exactly what being smutten is. Hoping for an ‘enemy-to-lover’ romance like in DDLJ, or dreaming about a love confessions like an Arijit Singh song. The ‘Plenty of Fish’ survey revealed that 33% of singles are often daydreaming along these idealistic lines, especially 40% of women. Just don’t let your expectations keep you from seeing who your partner really is and you are good to go.
3. St-ICK-ing
Your idiosyncrasies, like a snorting laugh, are about to be given the acceptance to exist. St-ICK-ing is all about looking past the habits or behaviors of a person that give you a feeling of discomfort (ick-y). So, it is about choosing to stay in a relationship despite initial discomforts that one would experience due to superficial traits or cringe-worthy habits of their date. The logic behind this is that even the most perfect partner for you won’t be without flaws. And in 2025, we are no longer giving up on potential long-term connections because of harmless habits, suggesting emotional maturity and openness in dating.
3. Fiscal Attractions
Long gone are the days when love was blind. These days, as these new Gen-Z dating terms are showing us, a sense of financial responsibility is taking the front seat when it comes to attractiveness. You cannot imagine a stable future with someone who doesn’t at least have a bit of financial security. And that person is then fiscally attractive. It’s all about being with someone who is money-savvy, no matter how much it is.
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4. Yap-Trapping
If you know your date’s childhood stories and they don’t even know your favorite color or even what you do, you may have been a victim of Yap-Trapping. This is a scenario when the other person constantly talks about themselves, ‘trapping’ you in a conversation that would be the same even without your presence. These hidden podcasters are being given a proper term for their services, in 2025. When your date turns out to be a yap-trapper, find a way to turn the conversation about you, if you can. Otherwise, our prayers are with you.
5. Freak Matching
A song by Tinashe, ‘Nasty’ has led to this new Gen-Z dating term. The iconic lyric “Is somebody gonna match my freak?” is all about finding someone who is the same kind of weird as you. There will be no hiding away your quirks anymore, we are on a path to owning every tiny aspect of our personality. Your freak match is someone who enjoys the same interests as you, no matter how strange or unique or eccentric, and therefore carries no judgment for when you are being yourself.
6. Swamping
While ‘Freak Matching’ is about finding someone who shares same interests as you, ‘Swamping’ is all about being comfortable enough with other person to show your authentic self. And especially so in your area of comfort, aka your “swamp.” Yes, that means sharing your space by being your true self, even if it means the old pajamas, messy hair, and pimple patches on your cheeks. Its 2025 (almost), we are not holding on to false ideals anymore. This allows us to just be ourselves without the pressure of putting up a front, and to pave the way to start a more serious relationship.
Even without these terms, though they are really fun to know, you can see the shift in perspective when it comes to dating. All the temporary situationships are no longer seen as attractive. People want something deeper, more meaningful. And if this evolution requires us to learn a few new dating terms, then it is completely worth it.
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