Word
ghosting
Phoneticsghost·ing
US/ˈɡoʊstɪŋ/
UK/ɡˈəʊstɪŋ/
Definition
n. the act of suddenly stopping all communication with someone you are dating or talking to. You do this without giving any explanation, usually by not answering texts or calls.
n. the practice of abruptly ending a personal relationship by withdrawing from all communication without explanation.
Examples
“I thought our date went well, but then he started ghosting me.”
“After three weeks of daily texting, his sudden ghosting left her feeling confused and frustrated about where she stood.”
“Modern dating culture has seen a rise in ghosting, a phenomenon often attributed to the low social cost of disappearing behind a digital interface rather than engaging in a difficult conversation.”
Examples
simple
“I thought our date went well, but then he started ghosting me.”
contextual
“After three weeks of daily texting, his sudden ghosting left her feeling confused and frustrated about where she stood.”
complex
“Modern dating culture has seen a rise in ghosting, a phenomenon often attributed to the low social cost of disappearing behind a digital interface rather than engaging in a difficult conversation.”
Usage
Often used as a gerund noun to describe the behavior itself; the related verb is 'to ghost'.
Pitfall
She made ghosting to me.
She ghosted me.
Ghosting is usually treated as a gerund or a verb; learners often incorrectly try to use it with 'make' or 'do'.
Real-World Examples
“With the rise of dating apps and social media shaping connections, ghosting—terminating a relationship by ignoring or blocking the other person—has become a prevalent way to break up.” “This experience, known as ghosting, can leave you feeling abandoned and may lead to a personal commitment to treat others with more consideration than you received.” “In dating, ghosting is when someone ends all communication without giving the other person any warning or explanation.” Etymology
From ghost + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/ghosting