80% of millennials have been 'ghosted,' survey finds

Along with text message breakups and catfishing, getting "ghosted" is a legitimate worry for today's young daters. 

In dating lingo, ghosting means to cease communication with a person without a formal "goodbye," by ignoring someone until they get the hint and stop texting or calling. Similar to a ghost, one minute they're there and the next...poof, they're gone.

This form of cowardice is not rare, a survey from dating app PlentyofFish finds.

Of the 800 participants in the U.S. and Canada aged 18-33 who responded, nearly 80% reported being dumped by someone who cut off all communication abruptly without any explanation. 

"It's the fear of missing out on the thing, or person, that is coming next. Because it's so easy to swipe or like new people, whatever's next could be better, and it's easier to just dip out. It may be a little mean, but we're dating; it's not like we're in a relationship," said one anonymous online dater in defense of ghosting.

This FOMO about finding the "better" person has some truth to it; 15% of those surveyed reported having scheduled multiple dates for one night.

As one Redditor, rooby008, points out, there is a huge difference between "ghosting" a person you've been speaking with versus ignoring a person who says rude or inappropriate messages like these: 

There's no evidence in this survey to support what gender gets ghosted more, but it seems no one is immune to it, including celebrities. Even Demi Lovato admits to being a ghost: 

BONUS: How to be a millennial in 5 easy steps

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