Not dating but not just friends

Everything Was Perfect, But Now He Just Wants to be Friends

On this season of "Married at First Sight," year-old Deonna McNeill explains to her year relationship gap to her new husband, Gregory Okotie, by using a term you may not be familiar with. Less than a relationship, but more than a casual encounter or booty call, a situationship refers to a romantic relationship that is, and remains, undefined. Why is this becoming a trend now? A situationship is that space between a committed relationship and something that is more than a friendship. On the one hand, removing the pressure of putting parameters on what the relationship is and isn't can be freeing — as long as both parties are okay with leaving things open. On the flip side, not knowing where you stand can be detrimental, especially if one party wants more of a commitment. You've met someone new, and things seem to be going well.

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Since the dawn of time probably , casual relationships have been a thing. Still confused? Ahead, relationship experts explain what it means to be in a situationship and what to do if you find yourself in a relationship that has yet to be defined. A part of the reason why situationships are so popular is due to the rise of online dating , argues Christie Tcharkhoutian Kederian, PhD, LMFT, a renowned relationship expert and former celebrity matchmaker at eHarmony.

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As someone who has had a long-term relationship with someone that I was friends with for years before dating, I understand this fascination with romantic love developing out of friendship. All the time I hear about couples who were friends before dating, some of them even eventually getting married.

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Are you in a 'situationship'? What it is and how to get out of it

This article was featured in One Story to Read Today, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a single must-read from The Atlantic , Monday through Friday. Sign up for it here. You start a chat and the conversation fizzles. You meet someone you actually like and never hear from them again. I have a suggestion: Try dating a friend instead.

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