Boyfriend Sickness
What does Boyfriend Sickness mean?
Boyfriend sickness is slang for the early-relationship phase when someone becomes so absorbed in a new boyfriend or partner that they temporarily neglect friends, routines, or other parts of their life.
Boyfriend Sickness used in a sentence
“She skipped three group dinners in a row after meeting him, and her friends joked that boyfriend sickness had struck.”
This example shows the term in context rather than treating the definition as a literal word-for-word substitution. Slang often depends on tone, audience, and the conversation around it.
How do you use Boyfriend Sickness?
The phrase is usually teasing rather than literal. It describes the tunnel vision of a new romance: constant time together, fewer friend plans, and an intense focus on the new partner that often settles as the relationship becomes less novel.
Where did Boyfriend Sickness come from?
Influencer Tinx helped popularize 'boyfriend sickness' on TikTok, and the term received broader media coverage in 2024. Despite the gendered name, people use the idea for similar new-relationship absorption across genders and orientations.
Common variations of Boyfriend Sickness
boyfriend sick
An adjective-like form for someone temporarily consumed by a new relationship.
new-relationship sickness
A gender-neutral descriptive variant for the same pattern.
Boyfriend Sickness: frequently asked questions
Is boyfriend sickness an actual illness?
No. It is humorous relationship slang for becoming unusually absorbed in a new romance.
Does it only happen to women with boyfriends?
No. The phrase is gendered, but the behavior it describes can happen to anyone in a new relationship.