What does being ‘zombied’ mean? Dating trend is worse than ‘ghosting’

Virginia Glaze
What is being zombied new trend worse than ghosting tiktok

Getting ‘zombied’ is the latest dating faux-pas that’s taking over social media, with many users saying it’s worse than being ‘ghosted.’ Here’s what the term means.

If you thought getting ghosted was bad, wait until you hear about the newest trend sweeping through peoples’ modern dating experiences.

Being ‘ghosted’ happens when someone suddenly cuts off all contact with a person without giving them any warning or reason. Although this behavior happens with all kinds of relationships — be it friends, family, or work acquaintances — it’s most commonly seen in the dating scene.

The term elicits a funny image of someone simply turning into a ghost and leaving this mortal plane, accounting for their sudden lack of communication… but it looks like another ‘supernatural’ phrase has entered the fray.

What does getting ‘zombied’ mean on TikTok?

On April 20, singer/songwriter Mariel Darling shared her dating woes with TikTok, uploading a video where she claimed she’d been ‘zombied.’

“You’re being ghosted?” she asks in the video. “I’m out here being zombied. It’s like ghosting, but he comes back from the dead after a couple of months and hits you up.”

The term has taken off, with her video gaining over 1.5 million views in less than a week’s time. Users were quick to share their own experiences getting ‘zombied’ by their significant others in the comments — some of which were downright hilarious.

In fact, one user likened her ex-man to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “Mine has a Jesus Christ complex,” she wrote. “He comes back every three days.”

“Have you ever noticed that they all zombie you at the same time?” another asked. “Like, why are four guys from my past all hitting me up on the same day?”

“I have all of their numbers saved as gravestone emojis,” yet another said.

This is just the latest phrase to go viral on TikTok after the term ‘Blackbear Phase’ took over the video-sharing platform to describe users’ tastes in music.

About The Author

Virginia is Dexerto's Entertainment Editor and an expert in all things TikTok, YouTube, and influencer-related. Boasting a background in esports, she's been tackling the social media space for over five years. You can reach Virginia at: virginia.glaze@dexerto.com.