Situationships Are Finally On Their Way Out As Singles Get More Intentional While Loud Looking And Leaning Into Nano-Ships And Kiss-mets
India (December 3, 2024): The year may be ending, but dating is here to stay! Tinder’s Year in Swipe™ is back, unpacking all the standout trends from 2024 and offering a glimpse into the future of dating in 2025. This year, daters got clear on what they want and are heading into 2025 with unapologetic intentions.
In a world shaped by social shifts, today’s singles are dating with newfound clarity—seeking connections that align with their values, feel authentic, and bring a sense of realness amid the chaos. To support singles in manifesting their 2025 dating goals, Tinder will introduce the Year In Swipe™ Vision Board, an interactive tool for creating personalized mood boards to recap their 2024 dating journey and set intentions for the year ahead - available later this week. Nearly 20% of internationally surveyed singles reported they are creating vision boards to manifest their ideal relationships in 20252. Tinder’s new tool is crafted to help singles reflect and date with greater intention in the year ahead, featuring social filters to share their 2025 dating vision with friends and family.
“Singles are embracing intentionality in their dating lives—being upfront about what they want and refusing to settle. This shift has driven three standout trends: Loud Looking, Kiss-met, and Nano-ships,” explains Melissa Hobley, Tinder’s Chief Marketing Officer. “These trends are all about empowering choice—whether it's confidently stating your needs while Loud Looking, savoring serendipitous moments through Kiss-mets, or finding meaning in micro-connections with Nano-ships. While last year was focused on 'dating for the plot' and casually exploring, this year, singles are stepping up, leading with purpose, and making their dating journeys truly their own.”
Loud Looking: Whether it's a "Man in Finance" or "Gamer Girlfriend," singles are ditching the vague and getting vocal and specific about their needs and desires, confidently and unapologetically.
Kiss-met is a playful twist on "kismet," meaning destiny or fate. A Kiss-met embodies the idea of seeking out spontaneity and stumbling upon joy. It’s essentially a modern rebrand of the classic "meet cute."
Nano-ships: No romantic connection felt too small to matter. Singles are finding meaning in even the tiniest interactions—whether it’s something serious or just for fun, those little micro-moments are leading to real possibilities.
DATING TRENDS THAT SHAPED 2024 AND ARE FUELING THE POSSIBILITIES OF 2025
#1. SINGLES ARE LOUD LOOKING – LEAVING GUESSING GAMES IN BRAT SUMMER
Looking for… anything but uncertainty!
Last year was all about being the main character, living for the plot. This year, we’re in the director’s chair—taking charge of our dating journeys, knowing exactly what we want, and saying it loud and clear. "Looking for..." was Tinder’s top bio mention in 20241, showing that people were being upfront from the start. And in 2025, nearly 20% of surveyed singles reported they are planning to manifest love by making vision boards, with trust, physical attraction, and shared values being the top must-haves in dating. Singles are matching with purpose–clearing out empty chats (only quality convos allowed!)–and with over half of these singles setting boundaries upfront, mixed signals are staying in 2024.2
In 2024, singles were caught in an "Assumptions Epidemic," with green flags getting mistaken for red ones. Case in point: Our Green Flags Study found that 65% of women thought men were mostly after casual flings, but only 29% of men actually said that was what they wanted.4
Fast forward to now, Loud Looking has turned up the volume on dating possibilities leaving no room for silent signals. Situationships? They’re finally on their way out!
#2. SOME CALL IT FATE, WE CALL IT A KISS-MET
Dating rules? Who is she?
Planned-but-unplanned is the vibe for 2025. A new relationship begins every 3 seconds on Tinder3, setting the stage for those “OMG, did we really just do that?” moments. Sure, your meet-cute might start online, but what happens next? Enter the Kiss-met! This year, dating was all about embracing the magic of the unplanned. Singles will move away from strict dating “rules” and dive into authentic, spontaneous connections. Think sweaty hike dates–which nearly 40% of surveyed singles are planning to prioritize in 2025–pottery classes that get messy (in the cutest way, with 34% of singles planning on it), and vintage shopping trips that turn into fun little fashion shows.2 2025 is trending towards the real, unscripted moments that make dating so memorable.
#3. NO ROMANTIC CONNECTION IS TOO SMALL TO DEFINE IN THE WORLD OF NANO-SHIPS
Reclaiming romance in all its forms!
Whether it’s that quick spark with someone on the subway that you call an “eyecontactship” to the person who regularly texts you “good morning” that you call your “textuationships”, 2024 showed us that even the smallest romantic moments can be meaningful. In 2025, we can expect Nano-ships to keep thriving as singles enjoy the fun of these micro-connections while searching for their forever person. Every glance, every random coffee chat—each little moment has its own vibe. With nearly a quarter of surveyed singles focused on finding positivity and joy in the world, they’re bringing an optimistic outlook to dating and relationships2, appreciating the little sparks along the way.
#4. DATING IS A TEAM SPORT
The starting line up? Virgos, Geminis, Leos, Sagittariuses, and yes, Scorpios…
Daters are streamlining their roster, with nearly a quarter of surveyed singles choosing fewer, more meaningful connections to keep their energy and excitement for dating alive. This means singles need to bring their best selves—not just to impress their date but also to win over the whole village that comes with them! In 2024, almost 60% of surveyed singles turned to friends for dating advice, and nearly 20% even asked a friend to pre-screen their date by checking out their social media profiles! Friends are officially the emotional support MVPs of dating, with nearly 50% of singles saying they plan to rely on their friends to navigate the dating world in 2025.2
And it’s not just friends you have to impress—cosmic alignment matters too! Nearly 40% of singles say that "astrology love predictions" will likely shape their dating choices in 2025.2 But this should be music to the ears of Virgos, Geminis, Leos, Scorpios, and Sagittariuses, who received the most Likes on Tinder among star signs in 2024!1
#5. COMMUNICATION IS QUEEN
The bar has officially been raised and only the goodest boy will win!
If 2024 was all about healing, then 2025 is the year to show up ready. Those who’ve done the work aren’t settling—they’re seeking out others who bring that same energy and intention to each connection. Singles are prioritizing trustworthiness (40%), physical attraction (35%), shared values (31%), emotional availability (30%), and shared interests (28%) –among surveyed participants–when dating this year.2 Meanwhile, deal-breakers like bad hygiene (50%), rudeness (44%), and talking too much about an ex (34%) are major icks.2 And while financial stability is valued, 22% of singles also want a partner who knows when to log off and set work boundaries.2 At the core of dating in 2025 is a focus on clear, honest communication. It’s no wonder nearly 45% of singles are seeking a “Golden Retriever type” in 2025—someone loyal, friendly, energetic, and brimming with optimism!2
