Tinder users say 'situationship' is a valid relationship status

2022 is, somehow, inching closer to its end, which means it's time for a flood of retrospectives. Spotify has Wrapped, and Tinder has Year in Swipe. Along with the most-used emojis and interests shared on the dating app, Tinder also identified the dominant trends from the year. The top trend of 2022? "Situationships" are a valid relationship status now.

A situationship is when you're not quite dating someone, but you're not just sleeping with them either. If it sounds murky, that's because it is. Young singles are down for the vagueness, however, as long as it's clearly defined.

In an in-app survey among Tinder users aged 18-24 in the UK, U.S., and Australia done last month, 1 in 10 respondents said they prefer situationships as "a way to develop a relationship with less pressure." The app saw a 49 percent jump in members adding "situationship" to their profiles from January to October this year.

"Young singles were still down to play the field this year," Tinder wrote in the release, "but they opted for a high-quality roster where everyone was on the same page."

Keep in mind that Year in Swipe doesn't account for all users, only "young" singles (aged 18-25). It makes sense that less experienced daters may want to dip their toes in a more casual relationship before verging into "serious relationship" territory. But it also may signal a waning desire for "friends with benefits" in favor of a relationship with an emotional connection, even if you're not exclusive or monogamous.

Further, Tinder users seem to be growing aware of the dangers of dating: Red flag (🚩) and "gaslighting" (fog 🌫) emojis were trending, hinting at increase awareness of toxic relationships. In fact, 58 percent of surveyed daters said they were confident they could identify a green or red flag when dating.

For the full breakdown of 2022 trends on Tinder, check out the Year in Swipe.