Could ‘caspering’ be the latest craze among Britain’s Tinder-crazy singletons?
Singles across Britain have been urged to 'casper' unsuitable love matches instead of ghosting
TINDER-crazy singletons across Britain have been urged to 'casper' unsuitable love matches instead of ghosting.
In modern dating terms, to ghost is to suddenly cut off all communication with someone you've previously had a relationship with.
According to one Plenty of Fish poll, almost 80% of singletons aged 18-33 have been ghosted by a potential love interest.
But one sexpert is urging Britons to ghost with compassion - or to 'casper' - instead.
Speaking to the , Superdrug Sex Educator Alix Fox encouraged those looking for love to be friendly to matches they're not interested in.
"If you're going to ghost someone, be friendly about it. If you've decided you don't want to chat to someone any longer, that's fine.
''But if they're simply not your cuppa and haven't been an ass, try to leave them with a compliment or some constructive feedback so they feel bolstered to keep on looking for love.
"For example: 'It's been really nice when you've thoughtfully asked me how my days have gone – that's such a great trait, so thank you. Good luck for the future.'"
She added that the negative connotations attached to dating terms can encourage excessive cynicism towards romance, and she would like to see more positive terms used to make matches mindful of their behaviour and enjoy a positive dating experience.
What are modern dating terms and what do they mean?
From benching to zombie-ing, dating in 2018 can be a minefield of confusing terms. Here's what each one means.
Ghosting: To suddenly cut all contact with someone you had been dating.
Breadcrumbing: Appearing to pursue a relationship but having zero interest in anything serious.
Cuffing season: Finding a significant other just for the season.
Cushioning: Dating someone but you know it's not going to end well.
Stashing: In a relationship but refusing to introduce a boyfriend or girlfriend to friends, family or social media.
Benching: Keeping someone 'on the bench' while you pursue other interests.
Zombie-ing: When the ghoster returns to the ghosted, often with a simple 'Hey' text.
Haunting: When an ex re-appears by liking social media posts or watching Instgram stories.
Shaveducking: Confusion over whether you're dating someone for them or their attractive beard.
Sidebarring: If a significant other keeps checking their phone or social media while on a date, they're 'sidebarring' you.
Serendipidating: Putting off a date to leave it to fate - or to see if someone better comes along in the interim.