shrekking
noun
purposefully dating someone considered unattractive
What does shrekking mean?
Shrekking refers to the act or practice of purposefully dating someone who one considers unattractive (or less attractive than someone one would normally choose) on the theory that they will prove a kinder and more caring partner.
Examples of shrekking
The problem with Shrekking is that it doesn’t deliver on its promise. Someone’s appearance doesn’t dictate how they’ll treat you.
—Ling Hui, The Toronto Sun, 31 Aug. 2025
Dating in the digital age is starting to feel like an extreme sport. If you’ve managed to dodge ghosting, breadcrumbing, shrekking or cushioning so far—well done, you’re one of the lucky few.
—… it’s funny because people talk about Shrekking, but most women I know have been Shrekking for their entire lives in dating
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Where does shrekking come from?
From Shrek, a character created by writer and cartoonist William Steig. First appearing in Steig’s picture book Shrek! in 1990, Shrek later became the basis of an animated film franchise beginning with the 2001 movie Shrek. At the beginning that movie, Shrek lives as a recluse in a remote swamp in the fairy-tale land of Duloc. When other beings cross his path, he frightens them away so that he can be left alone to enjoy taking mud showers and snacking on slugs and bugs. Shrek ultimately saves Duloc from the evil Lord Farquaad and rescues the beautiful Princess Fiona, who turns out to be an ogre herself. The two fall in love and marry.
How is shrekking used?
A sizeable proportion of online use of shrekking is devoted to discussing the phenomenon and whether it is a) a good idea, b) offensive/problematic as concept, c) some combination thereof. Shrek is also seeing use a verb—to be “shrekked” is to be treated poorly by the very same unattractive person that one decided to date by shrekking.
‘[It’s] a horrible new trend in dating’ writes another British influencer on TikTok. ‘It’s called getting Shrekked. It’s when you give a guy a chance and really lower your standards to a man that looks like Shrek and you get absolutely traumatised.’ Shrekking apparently doesn’t insulate you from a broken heart or even guarantee a desired outcome.
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