Tinder Turns Ten : Top 10 Terms the Dating App Gave Us

Tinder turns ten next month. Released in 2012, it took the dating world by storm and shook the stuffing out of the popular coupling apps of the time. Even if you’ve never downloaded the courtship app yourself, chances are some of your single friends are on there, swiping away.

In 2022, Tinder has evolved a cult-like status and even developed its own slang.

Here are some of the best terms the dating app has given us:

1 Calling card : The first photo on your profile. Watch out for misdirection as puppies and celebrities make the best distractions!

2 Kitten-fishing : A softer, more playful version of catfishing, the player doesn’t attempt to hide their identity, instead they modify aspects of their life to seem more appealing.

3 Half-night-stand : A one night stand minus the sleepover is known as a half night stand.

4 Fire-dooring : The term refers to a one sided relationship. Just as a fire door will only allow access one way, being fire-doored is frustrating and time consuming.  

5 Benching : The practise of keeping matches ‘on the bench’ for use as substitutes later in the dating game.

6 Tindernoia : The very real (and often crippling) fear that every single person you ever interact with in IRL (In Real Life) has at one stage or another rejected you on Tinder. Unfortunately the only proven cure for Tindernoia is 'Delete App'.

7 Orbiting : Men's Health Magazine have labelled orbiting ‘the new ghosting’. Your Tinder match may have cut off contact in real life but confusingly they continue to interact on social media, liking your pictures and posts, like a satellite orbiting Earth. What gives?!

8 Zombie-ing : Ghosting is when connections are made and suddenly one side disappears into thin air. Zombie-ing is even worse. After an abnormally long period of no contact, the ‘ghost’ reappears like a zombie and tries to reconnect with no mention of where they have been.

9 Tinderella : You know that incredibly hot person you stumble across late at night on a Tinderbinge? Seemingly a full 10, they have everything you need in a partner and much more… is this a dream match or is this just a dream? Meet Tinderella!

10 Hat-fishing : Saving the best term for last, hat-fishing refers to the act of hiding a bald spot in a calling card. Inventive photography, favourable angles or even careful photo-editing are employed to ensure the ruse is successful but remember, you can't hide your pate IRL!

With 75 million users and processing 1 billion+ swipes every day, Tinder is still the top dating app, now available as a paid subscription and catering to all kinds of diverse communities.

It takes just 3-7 seconds to make a match.

Life, love and lingo move fast on Tinder!