The word “situationship” has grown increasingly popular in recent years. The term was an Oxford Dictionary’s finalist for “Word of the Year” in 2023 and has been thought to be yet another Generation Z trend. While a situationship itself may be confusing, the meaning behind the term is straightforward. 

Oxford defines the word as a “romantic or sexual relationship that is not considered to be formal or established.” The term in popular culture is generally used to refer to a noncommittal and undefined romantic relationship — a “situation.” 

Anna Behler, an assistant professor of psychology, said the term encompasses a wide range of relationships but adheres to that undefined quality. 

“We’re talking about someone who is more than a friend, but you’re not actually dating them, … but there’s some benefits to them,” Behler said. 

Despite this term only becoming prevalent in society in recent years, the kind of relationship it refers to is nothing new. The situationship “epidemic” in society might not be an epidemic at all, but rather a new acknowledgment and acceptance of a long-standing form of romantic relationships. 

“I think the situationship has always been around,” Behler said. “I think the term has just evolved over time because back in my day, we just said friends with benefits.”

Sarah Grunder Ruiz, a lecturer in the English department and author, said the situationship has always held a major place in society. 

“I think maybe they’re more publicly acceptable now,” Grunder Ruiz said. “… I think it’s something people have always dealt with. People have always dealt with this idea ‘Okay, what is this relationship? Are we together? Are we not?’ Because what’s a better conflict than that? What’s a better conflict than uncertainty?”

It’s often difficult to pinpoint when trends and concepts, such as situationships, entered the public sphere. Grunder Ruiz said the concept of a situationship may just be thought of as something new because there’s less stigma in society around undefined relationships.

“I think it might just be shifting societal norms, where it’s not as taboo,” Grunder Ruiz said. “No one’s really surprised if you’re hooking up with someone and you’re in college … because sexual norms are more acceptable now.”

Although situationships are nothing new, that doesn’t make them any easier to navigate. Situationships are seemingly easy to get into, but difficult to get over. 

Behler said situationships exist due to unclear commitments and communication, and prioritizing communication and definitions is the key to fixing the issues attached to the complicated relationship dynamic.

“I think that they are presented in such a negative light because people use that term when they’re not sure what else to call the connection they feel towards someone,” Behler said. “But the healthy thing would be if both partners could come to a consensus on what exactly they are.”

Grunder Ruiz said though situationships in media may seem abundant today in shows such as “Euphoria,” it may just be that we are discerning and defining the relationships we see in popular culture more today. It’s not a sign of a shift in relationship dynamics themselves, Grunder Ruiz said, but rather a shift in our society, which is now more accepting of public discussions and portrayals of complex private relationships. 

Grunder Ruiz said media, specifically romance novels, can be a good place for people to learn about relationship dynamics, including situationships, and how to work through them. Grunder Ruiz said though every situationship may be different, media portrayals of the relationship type may indicate ways to go about navigating them that minimize their damage and teach lessons. 

“I think romance novels kind of get a bad reputation for showing unhealthy relationship dynamics, which in some, they do, of course,” Grunder Ruiz said. “But overall, at least in my experience, a lot of contemporary romance novels help us learn how to have good relationships, because we’re working through those issues on the page and learning about ourselves. … It’s about our desire for connection, and romance novels are all about that and how we all contribute.”

Behler said though every situation is different, making an effort to prioritize healthy communication and setting boundaries can help prevent issues with unclear definitions and intentions that often lead to stressful circumstances in relationships.