Breadcrumbing on dating apps is the use of platform mechanics - likes, reactions, periodic replies, and profile interactions - to maintain someone's attention and availability without any genuine intention of building a real connection.
Breadcrumbing is a pattern of low-effort, intermittent contact designed - consciously or not - to maintain someone's attention without any intention of deepening the connection.
"Keeping it casual" in dating is a relational positioning statement that signals a deliberate limit on emotional investment, commitment, or vulnerability - regardless of physical or conversational intimacy.
A text conversation is going well when the other person is investing energy - not just responding. The difference between genuine interest and polite obligation shows up in patterns, not individual messages.
When a conversation goes cold, the right text doesn't beg for attention - it creates a low-pressure reason to re-engage without referencing the silence at all.
