:: COMPARE ::
The short answer
These are two names for the same behaviour — keeping a partner hidden from your friends, family and public life. 'Stashing' emphasises where you're put away; 'pocketing' emphasises being carried but concealed.
Side by side
| Aspect | Pocketing | Stashing |
|---|---|---|
| Behaviour | Hiding a partner | Hiding a partner |
| Image | Kept in a pocket | Stashed out of sight |
| Public presence | None | None |
| Difference | Interchangeable terms | Interchangeable terms |
What each one means
Pocketing is when someone you're dating deliberately keeps you hidden from their friends, family and social media — no introductions, no public acknowledgement — as though the relationship is being kept tucked away in a pocket.
Full definition of Pocketing →Stashing is dating someone while deliberately keeping them hidden from your friends, family and social media — so the relationship never becomes publicly real.
Full definition of Stashing →