What it means
Means cutting someone off by vanishing mid-connection, no replies, no explanation, just silence. It’s most common in dating, but it also happens with mates, jobs, and group chats when someone can’t be bothered with an awkward conversation. The name’s literal enough, you disappear like a ghost and leave the other person staring at their phone, wondering what they did wrong.
Usage examples
"We went on three dates, he was proper keen, then he ghosted after I texted. No reply, no read receipt, nothing, just gone."
"I had two great interviews and then the company just went silent, no email, no callback. Getting ghosted by a job stings more than a bad date."
Where it comes from
The word leans on the obvious picture: you go quiet and unseen like a ghost, here one minute and gone the next. It took off with dating apps in the 2010s, when blanking someone became a tap away, and now it covers any sudden vanishing act.
Your vote counts
Is this real street talk or have we lost the plot? Cast your vote.