Submarining

Noun (informal)

Pronunciation
sub-muh-REE-ning

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet)
/ˌsʌb.məˈriː.nɪŋ/

Lexicographic Status
Culturally accepted term used in discussions of modern dating and digital communication.

Definition
Submarining refers to a dating behaviour in which a person disappears from communication for a period of time and later resurfaces without explanation.

The behaviour typically involves someone reappearing after weeks or months of silence and attempting to resume contact as though the interruption never occurred. Because the original disappearance is rarely acknowledged, the sudden return can create confusion or emotional disruption for the other person.

Origin of the Term
The term submarining emerged in discussions of modern dating culture in the late 2010s. It draws on the metaphor of a submarine that temporarily disappears beneath the surface before reappearing unexpectedly.

Cultural Context
Submarining reflects communication patterns common in digital dating environments, where connections can disappear and reappear with little social accountability.

The behaviour is often discussed alongside related dating dynamics such as ghosting and zombieing, which similarly involve disruptions or irregularities in communication within digitally mediated relationships.

Related TermsGhosting
Zombieing
Orbiting
Breadcrumbing

Sources
Psychology Today
Vice
PureWow

Related Terms in The Women’s Archive
Ghosting
Soft Ghosting
Breadcrumbing
Zombieing
Situationship
Love Bombing