Dating in 2025 has given rise to a new heartbreak tactic: the “slow fade,” a gradual withdrawal of communication and enthusiasm that ends a relationship without a definitive break. Rather than ghosting someone outright, the slow fade sees texts grow sparse, plans vanish, and emotional investment ebb, until the connection quietly dies.
According to Natassia Miller, an American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counsellors and Therapists (ASSECT)-certified sexologist and relationship expert, “they’re still technically there, but their presence feels increasingly hollow. They gradually withdraw effort, making you question whether it is you or the relationship.”
Recent data underscores just how widespread this behaviour has become. According to the 2023 Report by Hinge, 90 per cent of respondents stated that they worried someone would “fizzle” them, a term synonymous with slow fading. Another survey by Superdrug Online Doctor found that 63 per cent admitted to slow-fading someone themselves.
Why has the slow fade grown so common? Experts point to conflict avoidance, fear of confrontation, or the wish to keep options open. As Miller explains, many people see it as “kinder than a direct rejection,” but it often does more psychological damage.
Indeed, psychologists argue that the slow fade can be more harmful than ghosting. According to Psychology Today, it resembles a prolonged form of gaslighting, fostering self-doubt, anxiety, and confusion in the person on the receiving end.
So, what can you do if you sense the fade? Experts recommend confronting it early. Ask directly whether the other wants to continue. If reciprocity is absent, treat their silence as clarity. Miller calls out this approach as crucial: “Compassionate honesty beats ambiguous withdrawal.”