Definition: The predatory act of circling emotionally available people on dating apps or social situations solely to extract quick ego boosts, attention, or flirty banter, with zero intention of genuine connection or follow-through. These “vultures” thrive on the fleeting high of being desired but vanish when real intimacy looms.
Their MO involves mirroring your interests intensely just long enough to feel worshipped, then ghosting or breadcrumbing once their validation tank is full. Spot them by their rapid disengagement after deep conversations or their habit of reappearing only when they need an emotional snack.
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Example: Jake mirrored my love for obscure poetry perfectly for three days, showering me with compliments, then vanished overnight after I reciprocated.
Months later, she popped back up with flirty “miss you” texts needing an ego lift, only to ghost again after two superficial exchanges.