love bombing

Meaning

Love bombing is an unhealthy relationship pattern where one person showers another with excessive affection, compliments, and gifts very early in the relationship. This is often done to quickly gain trust and influence, and it is typically followed by manipulative or controlling behavior.

Examples

• At first, his constant gifts felt romantic, but I soon realized it was just love bombing to make me dependent on him.

  At first, his constant gifts felt romantic, but I soon realized it was just love bombing to make me dependent on him.

• She warned her sister that getting proposed to after only two weeks of dating might be a sign of love bombing.

  She warned her sister that getting proposed to after only two weeks of dating might be a sign of love bombing.

• Love bombing often involves overwhelming text messages and declarations of devotion on the very first week.

  Love bombing often involves overwhelming text messages and declarations of devotion on the very first week.

• It can be hard to distinguish genuine affection from love bombing when you first start dating someone new.

  It can be hard to distinguish genuine affection from love bombing when you first start dating someone new.

• Psychologists describe love bombing as a common tactic used by narcissists to secure their partner's loyalty.

  Psychologists describe love bombing as a common tactic used by narcissists to secure their partner's loyalty.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He is love bombing me because he bought me a nice birthday gift.

  ✓ He is being very generous, but love bombing is a manipulative pattern.

  A single generous act or normal romantic gesture is not love bombing. Love bombing is an overwhelming, manipulative pattern designed to control someone.

• ✗ They love bombed their wedding guests with expensive favors.

  ✓ They spoiled their wedding guests with expensive favors.

  Love bombing is specific to romantic or manipulative interpersonal control, not general generosity to a group of guests.

Related Expressions

Practice

• His sudden declarations of eternal devotion on our second date felt like ___ rather than real romance.

  💡 Overwhelming affection used as a manipulative tactic.

  Show answer

  love bombing

• Be careful of ___; some people use intense praise early on just to make you trust them quickly.

  💡 Showering someone with excessive gifts and attention.

  Show answer

  love bombing