The Benching Dating Trend Is the New Ghosting Relationship—Here's What You Need to Know

glamour.com:

, but there's already a new term to consider in the fast-paced and fickle world of dating: benching. If you're "benching" someone, it means that you're not not interested in them but you're not wanting a full-blown relationship either—essentially, you're on the fence.

You've gone past but you don't want to commit, so every so often you send them a text when you fancy a little flirt, suggest a coffee when you need a dose of attention, or even have a and then go MIA until you decide to see them again.

Sound horribly familiar?As Steph Koyfman, senior content producer at the language learning platform Babbel, explains, “Benching is an updated version of ‘stringing someone along,’ and it reflects the choice paralysis of having multiple online dating prospects to juggle.

Benching someone is essentially like benching a football player—they’re not your first (or maybe even second) choice, but you still want to keep them around as a backup option, so you give them just enough to keep them interested.” Eugh.Tina Wilson, relationship expert and founder of Wingman, says benching someone basically means you have a back-up plan. “There is another person you’d happily begin a relationship with if the current one doesn’t work out,” she explains. “Don’t be mistaken.