[ SLANG ][ DATING ][ VERB ]
Keeping a handful of backup romantic prospects warm on the side while in a relationship β not full cheating, just enough attention paid to soften the blow if the main relationship ends.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
"He never fully cut off his ex's texts the whole relationship, pure cushioning in case things didn't work out."
LORE & ORIGIN
Named for the image of a cushion softening a potential fall, describing this preemptive emotional insurance behavior common in dating-app culture.
FIRST SEEN
2018
PEAK POPULARITY
2018-2026 (Dating Apps Era)
CURRENT STATUS
Mainstream Slang
Related To:Micro-CheatingZip-Coding
EQUIVALENT CONCEPTS IN OTHER LANGUAGES
AURA IMPACT β
+5 AURA
TREND STATUS
β HIGH RISING FAST Β· MODERATE
CULTURE CATEGORY
[ SLANG ][ DATING ][ VERB ]
RELATED TERMS
MENTIONS OVER TIME
2023202420252026
RELATED SEARCHES
TOP PLATFORMS
TikTok
52%
YouTube
20%
Twitter / X
14%
Reddit
9%
Others
5%
WHEN DID YOU FIRST HEAR THIS?
CLICK AN OPTION BELOW TO CAST YOUR VOTE.
[ VOTE TO REVEAL COMMUNITY RESULTS ]