Quick answer: ghosting (Informal · relationships and contact) — Ending or abandoning an ongoing connection by stopping communication without an explanation. Meanwhile, orbiting (informal) — orbiting: stopping direct contact while still watching or interacting online.
1. ghosting ↗
Category: People & relationships
Register: Informal · relationships and contact
Regions: Online
Ending or abandoning an ongoing connection by stopping communication without an explanation.
When it fits: Use it when an ongoing interaction appears to have ended through unexplained silence. Describe what happened rather than claiming to know the other person’s intentions.
When to avoid: Avoid labeling a short response delay as ghosting or treating the word as a reason someone must maintain unwanted contact.
“We had been arranging a second meeting, then all replies stopped. I think I got ghosted.”
In plain English: An ongoing exchange ended without explanation.
2. orbiting ↗
Category: People & relationships
Register: informal
Regions: Online
orbiting: stopping direct contact while still watching or interacting online.
When it fits: Choose this wording when the meaning above fits what you intend to say. Give the reader enough surrounding context to follow the example; if clarity matters more than the shorthand, use the plain-English wording instead.
When to avoid: Avoid assuming that a label reveals somebody’s motives or private behavior. If you are unsure how your words will be understood, explain the situation directly and ask a clarifying question rather than relying on the expression alone.
“When I stopped texting him, his orbiting kept showing up in my notifications, liking every photo I posted.”
In plain English: When I stopped texting him, his stopping direct contact while still watching or interacting online kept showing up in my notifications, liking every photo I posted.
Test both expressions in context
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