Love bombing definition: what "Love bombing" means and examples

February 12, 2026

An excessive display of affection and attention used to influence or manipulate someone.

This is a more serious term that has moved from psychology into everyday slang. It describes a person who showers a new partner with grand gestures, constant compliments, and intense "love" very early on. While it feels wonderful at first, it is often a red flag for a controlling or narcissistic personality. Young people use this term to warn each other about relationships that feel "too good to be true" or move too fast. It is a way of identifying a pattern of behavior that often leads to emotional burnout or toxicity.

Examples:

  1. "He sent her flowers and a giant teddy bear after only two days; it felt like total love bombing."
  2. "I realised he was love bombing me just to make me feel guilty for wanting to spend time with my friends."
  3. "Be careful with him; he has a habit of love bombing girls and then disappearing a week later."

We've compiled this dictionary of common teen slang to help parents communicate with their kids. SafetyMode is the world's most advanced parental safety app for phones, making any Android phone safe for kids. You can find out more and download the app just here.

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