Relationships
5 New Dating Trends Everyone Should Understand
From "ChemRIZZstry" to "Curveball-crushing" to "StAtuS-flexing."
Posted October 5, 2025 Reviewed by Tyler Woods
As it has done for the past eight years, the dating app Plenty of Fish has compiled a list of five dating trends for the coming year—and revealed that 2026 may be offering a curveball for those looking for more and lore chemistry. These trends were based on responses from a survey of nearly 6,000 adult (18 years plus) Plenty of Fish members and represent what respondents reported about their current dating experiences. Plenty of Fish provided nicknames for each because it's a lot easier and fun to say something like "ChemRIZZtry" rather than "that trend where you are more open to having unexpected chemistry with someone you'd normally write off because that whole love at first sight thing may not be realistic." The thought is that these trends will keep on keeping on into 2026.
Once again, I spoke to Rachel DeAlto, Plenty of Fish's resident dating expert, to get her dish on these identified trends. So, here they are listed in no particular order, along with pronunciation guides in case you want to shout them from the rooftops:
1. ChemRIZZtry (kem-rizz-tree)
I already gave away what this trend is about—being more open to catching unexpected chemistry, something that one in four respondents described for themselves. POF called this "ChemRIZZtry," which is "chemistry" with some BiG "rizz" in the middle. "Rizz" is short for "charisma," because who has time to say "cha" and "ma," and its presence in the other person can generate chemistry between the two of you. The point is, many times you don't see this "rizz" in someone initially, but have to give it time to emerge.
"I'm a big fan of three to five dates before you make decisions just because obviously there's so much social anxiety in the world," DeAlto explained. "People aren't always presenting their best selves on that first and second date. So if you have a remote level of attraction or interest, give them three, four, five is what I say."
2. Curveball-crushing (kurv-bawl-kruh-shing)
Next, I threw DeAlto a curveball. Or rather, the "Curveball-crushing" term that represented what 42% of survey respondents said they have experienced. This is where you end up really connecting with someone outside your usual "type" or usual checklist items.
DeAlto gave the following theoretical example of someone curveball-crushing: "It's like, 'I've only dated people with green hair' and then all of a sudden I'm saying, 'Oh, my gosh, here's this super attractive brunette that showed up.' So it's really more so saying that you're completely outside of whatever that 'type' was."
When I asked DeAlto what "checklist" items seem to restrict daters unnecessarily the most, she quickly answered, "Anything physical. I understand that people have to have an attraction. But I've also seen so much of that attraction grow." So, to experience curveball crushing, like ChemRIZZtry, you've got to be open to a greater range of possibilities.
3. Love-loreing (luhv-lohr-ing)
Oh, lore, here's a third way to be more open. "Lore" is slangish for the history, stories, or legend behind a given person. So, "Love-loreing" is adding to your lore. This trend is based on 37% of survey respondents having gone on dates just to see where the story led. It's a slight twist to the whole "dating for the plot" trend that I've described previously.
"It's a shift towards curiosity and adventures and really being more playful," said DeAlto. "If you do find somebody who's a potential match for you, then maybe you could shift into that." True dat.
4. Truecasting (troo-kas-ting)
Speaking of the truth and nothing but the truth, the fourth trend is "Truecasting," based on one in four survey respondents reporting showing up to first dates more as their authentic selves.
"This is the love me or leave me, I am who I am approach," DeAlto related. "I think it's one of the best ones from this list just because in a world where we are more filtered than ever and we're curating all of these perfect profiles, it's where we're saying, 'No, I'm not going to pretend to be somebody else. I'm going to show you who I am so that we can have some, you know, authentic conversations and start a real relationship."
5. StAtuS-flexing (stat-us-flek-sing)
The final trend is "StAtuS-flexing," which may initially sound like bragging about your fancy friends, $517,750 Rolls-Royce Phantom, $1.65 million diamond fruticake, or membership in some hoity-toity club. However, in this case, it represents ditching the whole "situationship" trend where dating relationships are left ambiguous and ill-defined, as I have covered previously, and going back to defining relationship statuses much more clearly.
DeAlto described this as, "Giving that structure back to dating because when all of that is unlabeled and undecided, all it does is leave room for a lack of expectations or expectations and then resentment when they're not actually fulfilled." DeAlto felt that such a shift is occurring because "There is a natural desire for security, especially with a lot of things happening in this world."
Maybe all five of these dating trends are in some way tied to what's happening in broader society right now. Uncertainty about the future may be leaving people more open to a broader range of possibilities. And seeing so many public figures regularly manicuring artificial images of themselves could be motivating a desire for more realness—in dating, at least. One thing's for sure: If your dating life hasn't been going well, maybe it's time to throw some more curveballs.
Facebook image: YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV/Shutterstock
