Trend 1: Emotional safety becomes the starting poin
Singles are officially over playing detective. The mixed signals you used to think were ‘mysterious’ aren’t charming anymore—they’re just plain stressfu
Daters want to know exactly where they stand, what someone’s intentions are, and notice whether communication is consistent.
Tinder’s “Year in Swipe” report shows emotional honesty ranking as the #1 dating priority, with younger daters openly rejecting “figure it out yourself” communication styles.
And a recent Plenty of Fish survey of 6,000 U.S. singles also highlights this shift, with more daters dropping their rigid, “must-have” checklists and defining relationships sooner.
This trend reshapes how people interact, prioritizing:
1 Crystal-clear expectations (no more guessing games)
2 Labeled intentions (defining what ‘this’ is)
3 An end to toxic silence tests
4 Zero tolerance for disappearing acts (ghosting is out)
Clarity is confidence. If someone genuinely wants you, trust that they’ll use their words.This trend makes emotional safety the new baseline requirement.
Trend 2: Quality over quantity—fewer dates, stronger matches
The endless, exhausting churn of collecting matches purely for validation has officially lost its appeal.Singles are treating their dating apps like a high-value asset, prioritizing meaningful connections over digital clutter.
Coffee Meets Bagel reports a staggering 90% of users want a serious relationship or marriage, while 93% admit dating is emotionally challenging.
The conclusion is simple: Singles are strategically selective.
The conclusion is simple: Singles are strategically selective.
Daters are actively cutting the fluff of:1 Endless chatting
2 Dating in rotation
3 Placeholder coffee dates
4 Curiosity swiping
Multiple singles tell me one version of the same essential truth: “I can talk to ten people, but I can only attach to one.”This trend is about selective curation.
Trend 3: AI is a warm-up, not the destination
Artificial Intelligence slid into the dating scene much like it infiltrated travel planning and restaurant suggestions—quietly, but definitively.
AI is a tool, not the main event.Some tech-savvy daters are leveraging AI to:1 Practice boundaries (simulating tough conversations)
2 Rebuild flirting confidence (think of it as a digital wingman)
3 Reduce pre-date nerves (a little virtual pep talk never hurt)
4 Draft messages (when totally stumped (bye-bye writer’s block)While some singles admit they’d consider an AI boyfriend or girlfriend, they acknowledge a crucial fact:
AI absolutely cannot read tone, pacing, or emotional nuance.
This trend is about respecting the use of these tools, not expecting a full relationship.
Trend 4: Digital breaks create healthier attention
More singles are now taking short dating detoxes to preserve their emotional energy.People aren’t mass-deleting their dating apps, but they are carving out necessary breathing room to return refreshed with a calmer digital eye.
Digital Detox creates intentional space for:
1 Less doom-scrolling (giving your thumb a break)
2 More intentional replies
3 Fewer late-night loops
4 Short resets instead of emotional spirals
Temporarily stepping back drastically improves intuition. When people stop analyzing profiles like résumés, genuine chemistry becomes much easier to notice.Here’s how a5-day dating detox can truly reset emotional overwhelm.
Digital rhythm isn’t just a suggestion; it’s becoming the new boundary.
Trend 5: Holiday performance dating loses its grip
For years, from late November to late December has been a month of pretending and awkwardly stretching unhappy, lukewarm relationships just to avoid family judgment during the holidays.
This performative era is mercifully ending.A Flirtini dating app survey showed just how pervasive this charade is:
36% of couples stay through Christmas just to “keep the peace.”2 24% delay breakups entirely to avoid upsetting anyone.
Read my Breakup Day feature for why December spikes in split decisions.
Read my Breakup Day feature for why December spikes in split decisions.
People used to rehearse affection, manage optics, and wait for January to make their move. But frankly, that theater is losing serious momentum.
Singles are demanding truth over choreography.
In 2026, singles won’t perform. Instead, they’ll say:“I’d rather be honestly single than politely pretending.”
The timing perfectly tracks with the emotional calendar: December is triage, but January shows momentum.
This is precisely why the first Sunday of the year, universally known as Dating Sunday,is the busiest day for dating apps, when swiping surges and genuine new connections begin.
For singles ready to act on this momentum, I’ve also shared my Dating Sunday profile checklist with five expert tips to help you update your photos, bio, and messaging before the busiest day on dating apps.
This trend shows that pretending is out.