Phubbing
Snubbing the person in front of you by attending to your phone instead — a word invented to order inside an advertising agency.
Full definition of Phubbing →:: COMPARE ::
PhubbingvsGhosting
The short answer
Ghosting is disappearing from a conversation entirely. Phubbing is staying physically present while withdrawing attention — it requires a body in the room, which is what makes it sting in a way an unanswered message doesn't.
Side by side
| Aspect | Phubbing | Ghosting |
|---|---|---|
| Physically present | Yes | No |
| Deniable | Highly | Barely |
| Ongoing | Yes | Terminal |
| Coined | 2012 | 2000s |
What each one means
Ghosting
Ghosting is ending a relationship by cutting off all contact with no warning and no explanation — not a conversation about leaving, simply an absence where a person used to be. In electronics the same word names something unrelated: the faint duplicate image left on a screen or a printed page.
Full definition of Ghosting →