Dating-app slang & abbreviations

FWB

Alsofriends with benefitsfriend with benefitsfriendship with benefitsfwb situation

Definition

Short for "friends with benefits": two people who are friends and also have a sexual relationship, without being romantic partners.

At a glance

  • Friends who also have a sexual relationship, without being romantic partners.
  • Usually ongoing but casual, with no plan for commitment.
  • Works best when expectations are said out loud.
  • Regular check-ins help protect the friendship.

In detail

FWB describes an arrangement that sits between friendship and dating. The people involved enjoy each other's company and are sexually involved, but they have agreed, openly or by assumption, that it is not a committed romantic relationship. On dating apps, "looking for FWB" signals that someone wants something ongoing but casual.

These arrangements tend to work best when expectations are spoken out loud: whether either person is seeing others, how you will handle safer sex, and what happens if one of you catches feelings. Checking in from time to time keeps the friendship part intact.

In a sentence

  • Not looking for anything serious right now, open to FWB.
  • We were FWB for a year before we realised we wanted to date properly.

Where the word comes from

Friends with benefits was popular slang by the 1990s and gave its name to a 2011 film. The abbreviation FWB comes from personal ads and dating apps, where space is short.

Not to be confused with

  • Situationship

    A situationship is an undefined romantic-ish connection; FWB is usually an explicitly casual agreement.

Common questions

What should FWB talk about at the start?

Whether either person sees others, how you will handle safer sex and testing, how often you want to meet, and what you will do if one of you develops feelings.

Is FWB the same as a situationship?

Not quite. FWB is usually an agreed arrangement. A situationship has no agreement at all, which is what makes it feel uncertain.

Related terms