Ok, we might need to make a whole blog category about dating terminology – because we’re coming in with another to add to ghosting, breadcrumbing, winter coating, and so many more. This week, it’s ‘orbiting’, and it’s somewhat related to what the moon does to the earth and the earth does to the sun: not quite touching, but in your eyeline every dang day.

Via AskJeeves (yep, still a site!)

Orbiting in dating is when you cut off direct contact with the person you’re dating but continue to engage with their content on social media. It’s been dubbed “the new ghosting,” and, following an essay by Anna Iovine in 2018, gained more momentum in the pop-culture discourse. 

Maybe you haven’t been the orbiter, but have found yourself being orbited. No matter the case, orbiting generally stems from a person’s desire to keep a former romantic partner or ex in their “social orbit.” Engaging in orbiting can make you feel closer to your ex, which can ultimately lead to some real pitfalls and toxic behavior.

For example, an orbiter can track who their ex has been with and where they’ve traveled. Mostly, orbiting gives the perpetrator a fake sense of comfort — the feeling that their former lover is still on their radar. 

How do you feel about “orbiting”?