no contact
Complete communication cutoff
No contact describes a boundary-setting practice of completely cutting off communication with someone, typically an ex-partner or toxic family member.
Unlike limited contact or low contact, no contact means no calls, texts, emails, or social media interaction: I've been no contact with my father for three years.
The term emerged from recovery communities discussing abusive relationships and narcissistic abuse, where maintaining any connection enables harmful dynamics.
- silenceTotal lack of sound
- no replyAbsence of answer
- left on readSeen but unanswered
- ghostingAbruptly ceasing all communication
- blockedPassage prevented or impeded
ignored · avoidance · estrangement · boundaries · distance · cut off · restraining order · do not disturb · breakup · isolation · radio silence · gone dark · disconnect · untouchable · cold shoulder · exile · shunned · persona non grata
- estrangementrift, alienation, disconnection, distance, disaffection
- breakupheartbreak, closure, moving on, rebound, rebounds
- quittingquit, resign, resignation, stop, end
- toxic familydysfunction, broken home, family secret, scapegoat, golden child
- pandemiclockdowns, COVID-19, outbreak, epidemic, COVID
- breakupsbreakup, breaking up, dumped, dumping, it's over
no contactin touch
Communicating regularly
open communication · keeping in touch · connected · correspondence · engaged
no contactclose relationship
Strong interpersonal bond
reconciliation · enmeshment · family involvement · co-parenting · open-door policy
contact, contacts, contacted, contacting, contactable, noncontact, tact, tactile, tangent