Gatsbying - meaning and definition
Definition
Posting a photo, video or story on social media mainly to catch the attention of a crush or an ex.
At a glance
- Means posting online mainly to get one specific person's attention.
- Named after the title character of "The Great Gatsby".
- Often aimed at a crush or an ex.
- Usually playful, but can feed obsessive checking.
In detail
The term is named after Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby", who throws lavish parties hoping the woman he loves will notice and come. In the modern version, the "party" is a carefully chosen post aimed at one particular viewer.
It is usually harmless and a little self-aware. It can become less healthy when someone keeps checking whether that one person has viewed or liked a post, or uses posts to avoid saying how they feel.
In a sentence
- That gym selfie at midnight was definitely gatsbying.
- Stop gatsbying your ex and just message them if you want to talk.
Where the word comes from
Named after Jay Gatsby from the 1925 novel. The dating use spread through online dating vocabulary lists in the late 2010s.
Common questions
Why is it called gatsbying?
In "The Great Gatsby", Jay Gatsby hosts huge parties hoping Daisy will attend. Gatsbying is the social media version: posting in the hope that one person sees it.