It’s the summer of yearning - but what does the internet's favourite new dating trend mean?

"It's a hot girl summer" has become Gen Z's go-to excuse when heatwave season hits, and it's time to ditch dating apps in favour of living your best life with your friends.

Coined by Megan Thee Stallion, it's become a rite of passage that between the months of June and September, any prospects of a serious relationship are firmly off the cards - in fact, dating is free-from-mind completely.

At least, that's how it was until now. But, like the many other unforeseen circumstances thrown at us in 2026, there appears to be a turning tide. Not because we're seeking out relationships, but there's suddenly a definite feeling of longing in the air.

Welcome to the Summer of Yearning.

So, perhaps we've spent too many times re-watching Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights adaptation, or accidentally become hyperfixated on that free-climbing couple engaged at the top of the Empire State Building, but one thing's conclusive: Having a crush is cool again. And an out-of-reach one? Even better.

In its simplest form, yearning is a deep, persistent, and emotional longing for a partner. In an era of dating fatigue and ghosting, it's easy to see why singles are so desperate to experience genuine connection again.

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Tinder's dedicated 'Yearn Index' suggests that 3 in 4 Gen Z singles want to experience a stronger sense of 'romantic yearning' in their relationships this year, while 81 per cent believe that yearning plays an important role in early emotional connection.

Think of it as the type of slow burn that plays out in Bridgerton, or the cat-and-mouse relationship of Garrett and Hannah in Off Campus.

It's public-facing nonchalance followed by secretly looking at the compatibility of your star signs in private.

“Yearning isn’t just fantasy or playing hard to get. It’s anticipation, emotional investment, and a bit of uncertainty that makes someone matter to you. Attraction needs space to breathe. When everything is instant, nothing feels special, and attraction needs something to miss", Tinder’s Dating Expert, Sera Bozza says.

“Physical chemistry is easy to find. Emotional tension is harder to build. Conversations, humour, and shared values are what make someone stick in your mind after the date ends.”

So, how do we bring the hyper-romance of yearning into our dating lives without compromising on our non-negotiables of what makes a good partner?

"Healthy yearning adds excitement because both people are moving towards each other, even if the pace is gradual", says wedding and relationship expert at The Foxy Hen, Gemma Logan.

"If someone is inconsistent, impossible to pin down or only interested when it's convenient, that's not yearning. That's uncertainty. Real romance doesn't require you to abandon your standards or spend every evening analysing text messages with your friends."

She adds: "Yearning should never cost you your values. If honesty, kindness, emotional availability or shared life goals matter to you, they still matter when someone gives you butterflies.

"It's completely possible to enjoy the excitement of getting to know someone while also paying attention to whether they're actually compatible with your life."

Slow burn summer is officially in session.

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