Word
situationship
Phoneticssit·u·a·tion·ship
/ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃənˌʃɪp/
Definition
n. a romantic or sexual relationship that is more than a casual friendship but does not have a clear label or long-term commitment. It is what happens when you are dating someone but haven't decided if you are officially a couple.
n. a romantic or sexual relationship that lacks clear definitions, labels, or formal commitment. Often characterized by a lack of explicit communication regarding the status or future of the partnership.
Examples
“They have been in a situationship for months without discussing the future.”
“After several weeks of dating, she realized they were stuck in a situationship because neither was ready to commit to a serious relationship.”
“Modern dating culture has seen a rise in the situationship, where individuals enjoy the benefits of a partnership while avoiding the social and emotional obligations associated with traditional labels.”
Examples
simple
“They have been in a situationship for months without discussing the future.”
contextual
“After several weeks of dating, she realized they were stuck in a situationship because neither was ready to commit to a serious relationship.”
complex
“Modern dating culture has seen a rise in the situationship, where individuals enjoy the benefits of a partnership while avoiding the social and emotional obligations associated with traditional labels.”
Usage
Informal in register; common in contemporary social media and dating contexts.
Real-World Examples
“While it could be said we've been dating since then, I prefer to refer to it as a 'situationship' rather than a conventional relationship, as it doesn't encompass a fully committed arrangement.” “Hsieh described situationships as “a hookup with emotional benefits,” as opposed to the equally amorphous “friends with benefits,” which starts platonically but develops a sexual component.” “A situationship is an informal arrangement typically between two people that has components of both emotional and physical connection, yet operates outside the conventional idea of being in an exclusive, committed relationship.” “Gen Z is has particularly embraced the grey area of dating by purposefully entering into ‘situationships’.” Etymology
From situation + -ship or a blend of situational + relationship.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/situationship