10 New Dating Trends That Are Likely To Break Your Heart This Year

From time to time, we notice emerging dating trends that quickly become standard.

You might be familiar with the world of casual dating, where relationships feel undefined, one-night stands are common, and some individuals juggle multiple partners without seeing it as infidelity. It’s not unusual for someone to hook up with you and then go silent right after.

Unfortunately, all of these situations have at some point gained social acceptance and now form part of the modern dating experience.

Now, here’s some not-so-great news: this year has introduced fresh dating trends that might just leave you feeling heartbroken. Let’s dive into some of the most notable ones:

Scrooging

Among the latest dating behaviors, scrooging is perhaps the most disheartening. The term borrows from Ebenezer Scrooge of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’—a character known for his stinginess and reluctance to spend during the festive season.

Essentially, scrooging occurs when someone ends a relationship right before a significant holiday or special day.

Whether it’s Christmas, New Year’s, your birthday, or Valentine’s Day, the pattern is the same: he vanishes just as these dates approach.

This holds true even if you had festive plans together or if your relationship seemed serious; when a guy chooses to scrooge, he will do anything to avoid gifting you something.

Sadly, he will likely fabricate a reason for the breakup instead of admitting his true motivation.

Often, he’ll create a conflict to end things before trying to reconnect when the holidays have passed.

Glamboozling

Have you ever found yourself all glammed up, hair perfectly styled and makeup done, only to be stood up by your date?

Imagine falling asleep in your best outfit, phone in hand, eagerly waiting for a call confirming he’s on his way, only to wake up the next day with no word from him.

If that sounds all too familiar, you’ve experienced glamboozling—though you may not have known the term.

Of course, we all understand that emergencies happen, but the real issue here is the lack of communication when he leaves you hanging.

Fleabagging

The good news is that fleabagging doesn’t usually happen to you at the hands of men. The bad news is, it’s likely a trend you might find yourself participating in.

In fact, if you’ve noticed a pattern in your dating history, you may realize you’ve been ignoring your instincts and continuously dating men who aren’t a good fit for you.

This term refers to the habit of pursuing guys who are clearly wrong for you.

You meet a man, and despite knowing he won’t treat you well or that he isn’t right for you, you decide to overlook those red flags and give it a chance.

Sound relatable, right?

You might find yourself drawn to cheaters, emotionally unavailable partners, or narcissists who are bound to complicate your life.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the type of men you keep gravitating towards, even though you recognize the likely outcome of those relationships.

Catfishing

Catfishing has been a reality since the dawn of the Internet, but experts say it’s making a comeback in the dating scene.

When someone catfishes you, they’re pretending to be someone else entirely, often lying about their identity.

This is commonly seen on dating apps where users fabricate their entire life story and even use fake images to captivate you.

But catfishing can also occur in real life. In such cases, you may recognize the person, but they can provide you with a different name, phone number, or personal details.

The most disheartening aspect is that when you eventually discover the truth, it feels like you’ve developed feelings for someone who was never real.

Ghosting

Ghosting has emerged as a common trend over the past few years and is expected to stick around into 2025. This occurs when your partner suddenly disappears without a trace, leaving you in confusion.

One moment, everything seems perfect, and the next, he vanishes, making you question what went wrong. You’re left without answers, and he never reaches out again.

Not only are you dealing with the heartbreak of losing someone you cared about, but you also find yourself yearning for closure that may never come.

You can’t help but replay the moments in your head, wondering if you did something that prompted him to leave so abruptly.

Ghosting often reveals a lack of maturity in a partner, as it takes courage to end things properly rather than disappearing without explanation.

Instead of facing the tough conversation, he opts for the easier path, disregarding the emotional impact it has on you.

Cushioning

What used to simply be labeled as cheating is now referred to as cushioning.

In today’s world, where relationships are often undefined, cushioning means that someone holds onto their current partner while searching for a new one, ensuring they have a backup before moving on.

If a guy is cushioning you, he’s looking into his alternatives and weighing the benefits of staying with you versus switching to someone else.

In short, a man like this will keep you around until he is sure he has found another option.

Kanyeing

You might know Kanye West for his self-promotion and fame, but if you encounter a guy who’s all about himself and constantly interrupts you, chances are he’s Kanyeing you.

I’m referring to men who show little interest in your thoughts.

They’re not looking to learn more about you; instead, they treat you as an audience meant to applaud their stories.

Initially, you may find their confidence charming, but over time, it becomes clear that love for themselves overshadows any feelings for you.

Zodiac type-casting

Many of us lean towards certain types of people when it comes to dating, often without realizing it.

This is where zodiac type-casting comes into play, where individuals are judged based on their astrological signs.

While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying horoscopes, letting them dictate your romantic life is another matter.

Zodiac casting involves seeking a partner whose astrological traits align with yours, rejecting anyone who’s not deemed compatible.

This might sound ridiculous

Just say no.

He might respond by resorting to insults, claiming that you’re letting a great opportunity slip through your fingers, or even arguing that you’re unworthy of love and will never meet someone like him again.

Your rejection clearly hit him hard, making him believe that insulting you is the only way to regain his confidence.

Rossing

You’ve likely seen—or at least heard about—the iconic episode of ‘Friends,’ where Rachel and Ross debate whether he can date other women while they are on a break.

What was once humorous and extraordinary has now become quite commonplace.

Rossing occurs when you’re in a disagreement with your boyfriend, and he goes off to hook up with other girls, insisting it’s not cheating since, in his mind, you haven’t formally broken up (even though the relationship status remains unresolved).

Now, you not only have to cope with the heartbreak of being swiftly replaced, but you’re also draining your energy trying to argue with him and clarify that he has made a wrong move.