love-bombing
Smothering with attention
Love-bombing is overwhelming someone with excessive affection, attention, and flattery, typically early in a relationship.
The term carries negative connotations—it suggests manipulation rather than genuine warmth, often used to describe tactics of abusers, cult recruiters, or narcissists who lavish praise to gain control: Looking back, I realize all those gifts and constant texts were love-bombing.
Manipulation causing self-doubt
- narcissismExcessive admiration of oneself
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- controlAuthority to direct
- abuseCruel or violent treatment
deception · grooming · brainwashing · predatory · disingenuous · insincerity · guilt-trip · idealization
Expressions of admiration
- praiseExpression of approval
- adulationExtravagant, servile praise
- sweet-talkFlatter to persuade
- ingratiationDeliberate favor-seeking behavior
fawning · over-the-top · pedestal · worship · idealization · showering · declarations · promises
Depriving of air
- suffocatingDepriving of air
- incessantNever pausing or stopping
- unrelentingRefusing to let up
- overbearingArrogantly dominating in manner
excessive · obsessive · engulfing · stifling · relentless · inundating · flooding · barrage
Romantic pursuit of another
- romanceLove and its excitement
- pursuitAct of chasing something
- charmingPleasantly attractive in manner
- infatuationShort-lived intense attraction
gaslighting
Manipulation causing self-doubt
- narcissismExcessive admiration of oneself
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- controlAuthority to direct
abuse · deception · grooming · brainwashing · predatory · disingenuous · insincerity · guilt-trip · idealization · mirroring
compliments
Expressions of admiration
- praiseExpression of approval
- adulationExtravagant, servile praise
- sweet-talkFlatter to persuade
ingratiation · fawning · over-the-top · pedestal · worship · idealization · showering · declarations · promises · affirmations
smothering
Depriving of air
- suffocatingDepriving of air
- incessantNever pausing or stopping
- unrelentingRefusing to let up
overbearing · excessive · obsessive · engulfing · stifling · relentless · inundating · flooding · barrage · nonstop
wooing
Romantic pursuit of another
- romanceLove and its excitement
- pursuitAct of chasing something
- charmingPleasantly attractive in manner
infatuation · seduction · fast-tracking · fairy-tale · dating
love-bombingneglect
Failure to provide care
emotional withdrawal · stonewalling · silent treatment · cold shoulder · indifference
love-bombingdevaluation
Lowering of currency worth
discarding · silent treatment · ghosting · gaslighting · withholding affection
love, bomb, bombing, loves, loved, loving, lover, lovers, lovable