speed dating
/spiːd ˈdeɪtɪŋ/
CommonAn event format where people rotate through short one-on-one conversations to meet potential romantic partners quickly.
Used literally for the actual event format, but also used online as a metaphor for fast, superficial evaluation of anything.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | my friends dragged me to a speed dating thing last night and it was actually fun | The speaker went to a speed dating event and had a better time than expected. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | this job fair is basically speed dating with recruiters | The job fair involves short rapid conversations that resemble the speed dating format. | reddit, 2023 |
| 03 | she speed dated three guys in one week and none of them made it to a second date | She went through multiple first dates quickly and wasn't impressed by any. | tiktok, 2024 |
| 04 | i kind of speed dated apps this month -- tried five of them, deleted three already | Quickly testing and discarding multiple apps in a short window. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- Referring to the actual structured event format.
- Describing any rapid rotation through brief interactions.
- Using it as a metaphor for quickly evaluating options.
Do not use it when
- You just mean going on a lot of dates in general.Use “dating around” instead.
- You mean a casual, unstructured meetup.
Origin and context
The structured event format originated in Los Angeles in 1998, created by Rabbi Yaacov Deyo. The term entered everyday language quickly and eventually became a common metaphor.
- First seen
- 1998
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/speed-datingUpdated: 2026-08-29License: CC BY 4.0