word
Breadcrumbing
Stringing someone along with sporadic, low-effort attention.
Origin
Named for Hansel and Gretel's trail of breadcrumbs โ leading, but ultimately to nothing. The dating term emerged on social media in the mid-2010s as a companion to 'ghosting': the slower, more cruel version, where contact is maintained at exactly the level needed to keep the other person hoping.
Modern usage
Common in dating discourse and advice columns. Also used in professional contexts โ 'breadcrumbing the candidate' for a hiring manager who never quite says no but never quite hires.
Tags
dating
manipulation
modern