negging

[ neg-ing ]

nounSlang.
  1. the act of insulting someone or something with a backhanded compliment or with qualified approval, especially as a ploy to lower the self-esteem of a person or cheapen an object before showing romantic interest or making an offer: I will not tolerate gaslighting, negging, or other mind games in my love life.

Origin of negging

1
First recorded in 1995–2000; gerund of neg (in the sense “to give negative feedback”)

Words Nearby negging

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024