From Banksying To Ghostlighting, 10 Toxic Dating Trends That Are Best Left Behind In 2025

Toxic Dating Trends 2025: Dating in the 2020s was supposed to be easier: intuitive apps, love delivered through push notifications, a world where a swipe could write a love story. Instead, it became a dictionary of red flags. As we step into 2026 with our collective screens brighter and attention spans shorter, one thing is clear: modern romance now comes with disclaimers. Between new-age manipulations, commitment-phobia packaged as ‘soft-launching’, and toxic dynamics masquerading as ‘boundaries,' love has felt more like a crash course in emotional survival than companionship.

Toxic Dating Trends 2025

Here are ten dating behaviours that defined 2025, and deserve to be left there:

1. Banksying

Named after the elusive street artist, it involves one person secretly planning to end a relationship for a very long period of time, then suddenly breaking up with their partner without warning, leaving them completely blindsided. This avoids difficult conversations and allows the ‘Banksy-er’ to process the breakup on their own terms, often leaving the other person with deep self-doubt.

2. Ghostlighting

This is a combination of ghosting and gaslighting. A person disappears without explanation, then returns later and denies their absence or blames the other person for overreacting or misremembering events. This manipulative behaviour is psychologically damaging and erodes the victim's sense of reality and self-esteem.

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3. Love-Bomb Ghosting

It involves smothering a person in love with excessive attentiveness, over-the-top flattery, and early declarations of future plans, and then completely disappearing. It leaves the victim with emotional whiplash and second-guessing normal interactions.

4. Monkey-Barring/Branching

Inspired by the idea of monkeys swinging from one bar to the next, this is where one lines up another partner, emotionally or physically, before ending their current relationship. This is motivated by a fear of being alone and is essentially a form of emotional cheating driven by secrecy and betrayal.

5. Paperclipping

An ex-partner or former fling who periodically resurfaces with low-effort messages, like "Hey, what's up?", without any intention of actual follow-through, only to disappear again. The idea is that it keeps the partner 'on standby' for one's convenience and ego boost.

6. Phubbing

Common conduct involves ignoring your partner to look at your phone, whether it's doomscrolling, texting friends, or checking notifications during a shared activity or conversation. It erodes intimacy through the opposition of screens in place of presence with the person across the table.

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7. Shrekking

This describes dating someone whom the person considers less attractive or 'below their league' in hopes that they'll be more loyal or easier to control. This toxic trend takes a toll on one's partner as a 'risk shield', stemming from insecurity and building up potential resentment with no mutual respect.

8. Sledging

This is a trend among members of Gen Z where the person intentionally drags a dying relationship through winter and the holiday seasons just to avoid loneliness during the cold months. The ‘sledger' has every intention of breaking up after the holidays are over.

9. Throning

This is a form of clout-chasing where one person dates another person solely to enhance their status in society or their online influence, rather than for emotional connection. This partner is more of a prop in terms of public image and validation.

10. Beige Flag Excusing 

2025 was the year we tried to make quirks adorable. He answers once a week? Quirk. She never apologises? Quirk. But the thing is, red flags don't turn beige just because they're trending. Standards are not negotiable décor.

Image courtesy: Freepik

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