Difference Between Dating and Seeing Someone

Dating vs Seeing Someone

For most people the difference between dating and seeing someone refers to the level of commitment agreed upon by the couple. While this isn’t an exact scientific definition, it is applied by the majority.

Seeing someone usually applies to the beginning of a new relationship. It usually indicates a heightened level of interest, and even offers subtle speculation that it may turn into a serious, committed relationship. It’s not always easy to tell the initial meaning of ‘seeing someone’, but at the very least, you know that if someone refers to your relationship that way you are definitely on their radar map.

Dating tends to imply that the relationship has grown into a much more serious endeavor. It is often marked by the willingness to discuss fidelity, and it usually evolves over a period of time.

In either case, monogamy cannot be assumed unless it has specifically been spoken about. Many people confuse the idea of dating with monogamy. Having a monogamous relationship is a choice that not every committed couple will make.

Dating can be used to describe a different function as well. When someone has chosen to see several people at a time, to make a selection, we refer to it as dating. Dating can mean absolute no commitment, and can refer to someone’s lifestyle choices. In cases like this, it is usually rather easy to tell the difference by inference. People who are dating numerous men or women tend to be up front about their exploits, at least to their friends, if not to their partners.

While seeing someone is usually used as a term of reference, dating can be clarified. You can be dating someone casually (or a lot of someones casually), or you can be dating exclusively. Often the question: ‘Are you seeing anyone?’, implies that the answer should be manipulated to describe the relationship. ‘Yes, I am dating someone exclusively”, or ‘I am just dating someone casually,’ defines the relationship in a way that makes it obvious whether one might continue an advance, or back off.

However you choose to use the terms, and many people see them as interchangeable, it is best to always find a way to clarify the level of commitment intended behind the term to help avoid any potential confusion. Whether you’re talking to the person of interest, or you’re talking to an interested person, clarification makes everything so much clearer for everyone.

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