It seems to me that this generation has a bit of a problem with over-expectancy. I’ve noticed that girls, in general, struggle with unrealistic relationship expectations. I’m not sure exactly why it is the male in the relationship that’s expected to provide all of these frivolous things, but that seems to be the trend (though I do realize that this isn’t always the case). I see photos like these all the time on my feeds with the caption "relationship goals"...
Slang dictionary
relationship goals
[ ri-ley-shuhn-ship gohlz ]
What does relationship goals mean?
A partner who treks out in a blizzard even with a fever and after a long day at work to get your favorite burrito? #RelationshipGoals. Relationship goals characterize various actions, or couples themselves, that display a depth of connection someone wants in their own love life. These “goals” can be heartfelt or playful, and the term is often used to comment on others’ social media.
Where does relationship goals come from?
The phrase relationship goals takes off on social media in 2009 in popular articles and as a hashtag to comment on aspirational qualities in romantic couples. The phrase is part of a larger social media trend of goals, such as squad goals for achievements in friendships.
I wanna be with someone who admire me even when I am at the lowest point of my life. #RelationshipGoals
— Physicist 🔬 (@afiqhaj) August 22, 2018
Relationship goals have come to signify a range of aspirations. They can be earnest, such as wishing for a long, happy, and fulfilling marriage, but very often they are specific, quirky, self-deprecating, or playful—hoping for the kind of connection with someone where one feels utterly and ridiculously free to be themselves and wholly supported by their partner for it.
Relationship goals frequently comes up as a hashtag with celebrity couples, what with their beauty, success, glitzy Instagrams—and in spite of their often short-lived time together. In 2015, for instance, BuzzFeed ran a listicle on 38 ways Hollywood’s darlings served us up some swoon-worthy relationship goals. The concept has come under some criticism, in our picture-perfect social media culture, for creating unrealistic and unhealthy expectations.
Examples of relationship goals
The young man took to Twitter to share pictures of where his relationship first started to where it is now—happily expecting a baby. Talk about relationship goals. His post got a lot of attention from tweeps who wished that they too could flex their loving relationships on their social sites.
Marilynn Manuel, Briefly.co, August 10, 2020
Some lady told my aunt she hated her so my uncle shook up a beer and sprayed it in her face #RelationshipGoals
@KloeyMiller, July 1, 2018
Sierra Curtis, Odyssey, February 16, 2016
Who uses relationship goals?
reMany people use relationship goals to signal what they earnestly hope for in a couple or to celebrate a couple who has achieved great happiness in love.
Ok, I'm bawling. #RelationshipGoals https://t.co/GW0AOPRjBC
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) September 2, 2018
Very often, though, relationships goals has a silliness or irony, characterizing very specific or bizarre relationship instances as aspirations, such as a girlfriend helping a boyfriend smoke marijuana while he is occupied with a video game—or a wife jacking a cop car because her boyfriend’s arrested inside it. If that’s not love, then what is?
Relationship goals can even describe our hopes and dreams for our animal friends, too.
"I swear i don’t know who did this!!" 😂#dogsoftwitter #nature #photography #funny #hilarious #meme #lol #video #viral #ViralVideo #pets #snuggles #cute #friendship #RelationshipGoals #dogsofinstagram #youtube #tumblr #reddit #MondayMotivation #dogs #dog #no #goodboy pic.twitter.com/Zo96ofH1Td
— WildNatureTV (@WildNatureTV) July 28, 2018
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of relationship goals like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of relationship goals that will help our users expand their word mastery.