Being in a relationship with someone but not willing to make it public knowledge
Stashing is a term that describes a situation where someone is dating another person but does not recognize the relationship in public. This term got its name because it mirrors the behavior of people and animals hiding things away, similar to how a person might hide their relationship.
This behavior of stashing has been around for a long time, but it was only given its name by Metro.co.uk in 2017. There are various reasons why some people choose to stash their partners. It could be due to embarrassment, fear of their spouse finding out, concerns about family reactions, or uncertainty about the relationship’s future.
A person who is stashing their partner will often avoid sharing about their relationship online, inviting their partner to their home, or introducing their partner to their friends and family. Instead, they keep all the details of their pre-relationship life to themselves and immerse themselves in their partner’s world, both online and offline.
In the era of the Internet and social media, stashing is becoming increasingly difficult to do. Many relationships now reach a point where they are announced on social media early on. Therefore, if a partner avoids this step, it can raise serious questions about their commitment to the relationship.
Example for using ‘Stashing’ in a conversation
Hey, have you heard of the term ‘stashing’?
Hmm, no, what does it mean?
‘Stashing’ is when someone is dating another person but doesn’t acknowledge the relationship publicly.
Oh, I see. So they keep it a secret?
Exactly! They avoid posting about their partner online or introducing them to friends and family.
That’s interesting. Why would someone do that?
There could be various reasons, like feeling embarrassed or fearing disapproval from others.
I guess it’s hard to hide a relationship nowadays with social media and all.
Definitely. Most relationships have a social media “coming out”
Related Slang Words You Might Be Interested In
| Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Secondhand Screen Time | When a parent keeps giving only part of their attention to their child all the time |
| Twitler | A Twitter user who is too controlling |
| Cracka | 'Cracka' is slang for a white person |
| Nomonym | A food that has the same taste as another food |
| Unlightening | Telling someone stuff that makes them less smart, that's 'Unlightening' |