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On the surface, infidelity seems like it’s easy enough to define. It’s a simple binary of doing or not doing certain things. Either you cheated or you didn’t. However, life is a lot more complicated than that. Someone can have not “done anything,” but still cross their partner's boundaries.
Someone asked “What's not really cheating but can count as cheating?” and netizens shared their best examples. We also got in touch with the person who started the thread to learn more. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorite examples and be sure to comment your own thoughts and ideas below.

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#1

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points If you wouldn’t do it with your partner standing right there, don’t do it. You know where the line is. You know when you’re toeing it. You know when you’ve crossed it. Don’t play dumb.

Scared_of_the_KGB , ira / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#2

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Intentionally deleting texts so your partner doesn’t see them. If it needs to be hidden, it’s already shady.

fairytaalecassy , Pixabay / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Iampenny
Iampenny
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have done this in the past, but to be fair, I was discussing his birthday present which was to be a surprise. This, or something similar, is really the only excuse for doing so.

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Fellfromthemoon
Fellfromthemoon
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or, the other party shares a secret with me that none of my partner's concern.

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Raumpfleger
Raumpfleger
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have to oppose! Even after being married for more than 15 years, privacy is privacy. I got chats which aren't of her concern and vice versa. I also would never go through her phone nor would my wife go through mine and that's how it should be (for us at least).

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Nicole Weymann
Nicole Weymann
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yupp. If either feels the "need" to monitor the other it's a show of lack of trust. Either get a grip on your trust issues/jealousy or the relationship is doomed anyway. And controlling/monitoring an actually cheating partner's communication is just teaching them to hide it better. Stupid games.

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General Anaesthesia
General Anaesthesia
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or - If you feel your texts need to be hidden from the partner you might need to rethink your choice of partner. Abuse comes in many forms. Don't be gaslit into thinking you're the shady one.

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viimatar
viimatar
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Apparently the concept of privacy in correspondence doesn't either exist in the OP's country, or then they just ignore it?

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Heffalump
Heffalump
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Personally, I routinely delete texts one I've read them: if I was careless and someone was able to read them, It would not just be my privacy that would be violated, but the privacy of everyone who'd texted me.

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Aussiegirl
Aussiegirl
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I delete mine as well, I also clear my calls list. I have nothing to hide I just like like it tidy 😅

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Barry Fruitman
Barry Fruitman
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Unless you have a hyper-controlling partner, but you should dump them anyway.

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Magenta Blu
Magenta Blu
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Intentionally deleting texts so my phone is still capable of working. Specially pics and voice notes. Who keeps them?

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#3

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points In a relationship, if my partner knows that I would really like to do something with them and they don't want to do the thing with me, but then do the exact thing with someone else.
For example: If I am a bike enjoyer and I always ask my partner to come with me for a bike ride and they always say no and that they don't like riding bikes, but then the one time a friend asks them for a bike ride together they go.

Impossible_Form_2826 , Munbaik Cycling Clothing / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Bored Panda got in touch with the person who posted the thread and she was kind enough to answer some of our questions. Firstly, we wanted to know why she was inspired to post this particular query to the internet and what she thought of it getting so popular.

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“I just posted that because I was bored tbh. I honestly didn't think it would get so much traffic. Which I really, really don't like,” she shared. Naturally, we also wanted to hear their thoughts on the topic. “Things that are not point blank cheating but is cheating imo: Hugging the same woman twice. Once is enough.”
#4

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points We went to brunch with a group of friends. My wife couldn’t finish her meal and said “does anyone want my bacon?” instead of immediately defaulting to offering it to me, her husband. Still haven’t forgiven her.

Accomplished_Egg6239 , Vincent Rivaud / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#5

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Having a work wife/husband. The only people I’m aware of doing this, yeah they were cheaters.

RavingSquirrel11 , Ron Lach / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#6

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Stopping at Dairy Queen for the Blizzard of the month, and savoring every delicious bite in your car before bringing home all the healthy food for your hubby’s diet.

CrabbyPatt111 , Sarah Stierch / flickr (not the actual photo) Report

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“Also, lingering hugs? No. Whispering in another woman's ear 'Oh my God' you smell sooooo good while you're hugging her??? You might as well turn around and punch me in the face. I'm a black woman, so taking out another women's braids??? Absolutely not. She has hands, and if she doesn't, she has feet. I'm not sorry.”
#7

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Flirting with someone online and calling it harmless fun.

Galactic_Goose_3 , Monstera Production / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#8

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points I guess when I found out he had taken another girls underwear from her bathroom floor because he liked her. Technically not cheating, but I kinda wish he had cheated rather than that.

Far_Change9253 , cottonbro studio/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#9

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Emotional infidelity. People know when they’re giving something to someone else that is sacred to the relationship.

pastyoureyescheese , Ron Lach / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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“Intense eye contact for more than 4 seconds, while paying attention to what she's saying. And you're smiling? Absolutely not. Like, why don't you just stab my mom? Laughing uncontrollably at another woman's joke. So uncontrollably that you can't even breathe. She's not that funny,” she shared with Bored Panda.

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#10

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Suggesting opening up your relationship with someone specific in mind.

SadlyNotDannyDeVito , Budgeron Bach / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#11

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points My partner made a whole plate of nachos while I was taking a nap and didn’t save me any, he might as well just have an affair at that point honestly.

awholedamngarden , Karolina Kaboompics / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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24points
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#12

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Allowing someone to think they have a chance with you (in other words, leading them on), or not shutting someone down immediately when you’re in a relationship and intentionally withholding the fact that you’re taken out of the conversation…

Source: Been There, Done That ✔️.

adeduedemballa , Bethany Ferr/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#13

When you know the person wouldn't be okay with it if you told them or asked them about it, so you don't tell them so they won't say no and you can pretend it's the same as if they agreed to it.

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#14

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Getting coffee with Marisa Tomei when you find out she's into short, stocky, bald men.

rob_s_458 , Columbia Pictures Television Report

Final score:
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#15

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Keeping pictures of your old crush on your computer with her husband and kids cut out of them.

PinkMonorail , Karolina Kaboompics / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#16

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points I read a fun Reddit post about a woman who developed a fake relationship (sexting included) with an AI version of Arthur Morgan. She stopped spending time with her partner and only confided with the AI about problems.

Is it cheating if it’s not a real person? Does the answer matter if the feelings are real?

add0607 , Andrea Piacquadio / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#17

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Flirting with someone to the point where it crosses emotional boundaries—it’s like playing with fire without getting burned.

kennagiveahug , cottonbro studio / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#18

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Watching advance episodes that you and your partner both watches.

TooStrong4U1991 , cottonbro studio/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#19

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Allowing yourself to be in a situation where you have the option to cheat.

You can stop that well in advance.

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#20

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Secretly paying for Only Fans behind your partners back.

gibtnlb , Eren Li / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#21

When my wife goes to Taco Bell without me.

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#22

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points "Monkey Branching", aka approaching a romantically compatible partner to pursue a friendship with them that's entirely innocent and platonic and is not breaching any sort of boundaries in any way - but the itended goal is to keep them in the loop and stay in touch so that you have an exist strategy should your current relationship go south.

Reasonable-Mischief , RDNE Stock project/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#23

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points My first serious relationship I made friends with a coworker at work. On my side, it was nothing more than friendship so I did not understand why my ex was upset. This actually ended our relationship. A few days after my coworker made her move.

I didn’t see it at the time because I only saw her as a friend. But apparently being friends with someone who likes you is cheating.

SeesawOne485 , Artem Podrez / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#24

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points My wife had a dream I hooked up with her friend and was mad at me for weeks. Not sure if that counts or not.

Thrillhouse801 , Craig Adderley/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#25

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Having dating apps installed but stopped using them.

No-Cauliflower-4727 , Nik / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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#26

Using pet names that you use with your partner….especially with someone your partner already doesn’t trust.

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#27

One of my friends once found messages from his gf telling some guy she was online friends with how if she gave him a lap dance her moves would make him bust in his pants lmao he was like “is this cheating,” i said bro that’s basically sexting and emotional cheating, you can’t be telling some guy you’d make him flood his khakis with a lap dance that’s crazy.

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Final score:
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#28

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Being nice and still hanging out with someone who is obviously trying to get with you.

SexyAriana532 , William Fortunato/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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11points
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#29

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points I'm so getting hate for this on reddit but watching p*rn. It is so damaging to relationships it's not even funny.

P3rception_ , Vlada Karpovich / pexels (not th actual photo) Report

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#30

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Lying about your past. A sexual relationship is founded on certain terms, one of which is your past. If you have lied about those terms, then you have broken the basic contract.

teraza95 , Diva Plavalaguna/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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9points
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#31

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Deep emotional connection with someone to the point you feel like they understand you better than your current partner. It's always a trap because you don't really know them that well and it's just one aspect in which they seem to be better, while in fact they might be not.

ProfessorCautious798 , Oleksandr P / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#32

Foot massage according to Marcellus Wallace.

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#33

Going out to see a movie with someone who you barely know and not wanting your partner to go with because...reasons? Literally happened to me, couple months later she dumped me for him. Classic "he's just a friend" story.

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#34

Kissing.

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#35

When you're on a break in your relationship, or let's say it ends for a short couple of weeks and your partner is hooking up with someone of their friends (and you've always had a bad feeling of this friend before). And then two weeks later you're back together. In that short time you weren't officially together, but it really feels like cheating.

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#36

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Credit card debt your spouse doesn't know about.

Middle_Manager_Karen , Pixabay / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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7points
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#37

It has been said that even crushing on a celebrity or gawking at say another guy/gal when you are in a relationship is adultery. I always told my hubby for decades if Elvira ever hit on him IRL go for it. Hated to break his bubble when told him I would have a better chance with C. P. than him but he can dream and I don't consider it cheating.

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#38

Share the most vulnerable part of yourself and your best self with someone other than your spouse.

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#39

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Keeping secrets. Unless it's something non-serious you should be 100% honest with your partner always.

IdentifiesAsUrMom , Alena Shekhovtcova / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#40

I found this out the hard way. Rough patch with an ex, get into a fight, she was supposed to go on vacation with me and my family. She opted not to and while I was away, she sleeps with a mutual friend of ours.

Turns out I said we were done while we were still living together. She took this to mean we broke up. I took this to mean we're done with this conversation.

I tried to forgive her. But she showed me a part of herself I couldn't move past. I loved her and miss her often still but who the f**k takes one conversation and then f***s someone a week later when you still live together?

Turns out she's now dating a different guy she told me was just a friend and he used to text her all the time about how he hates his fiance. And then she brought me to his wedding.

So yea I really have no f****n clue.

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#41

30 People Debated What They Count As Cheating And They Made Some Interesting Points Anything you hide from your partner (texting someone, going out of your way just to bump into someone, flirting with someone etc etc).

HiThisIsMichael , Liza Summer / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#42

Not mentioning when you make new friends with single people who are considered very attractive. It's not cheating by any means but it can be very alarming to learn your partner has new attractive friend that they never actually talk about or bring around but talk to frequently.

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#43

Intentionally being flirty when you’re in a committed relationship. I knew my ex was flirty when we met, but she was also one of those people who was so friendly it could be taken as flirting a lot.

Being with her for 20 years, I knew the damn difference, because I’m not an idiot. When I felt like she was crossing a line with a few guys over the years, I said something.

She always said I was being insecure, but I was fully secure. I was the only one working, I paid all the bills, I cooked dinner every night, and I paid her way through 16 years of school. She wasn’t the catch, but I loved her anyway because she made me happy and we could talk for hours about literally anything, and I enjoy that intellectual stimulation so much. In the end, it turned out she cheated with all 4 guys I called her out on, so I left.

As guys, we’re dumb even when we think we aren’t, but we aren’t stupid. You know when your wife of decades is crossing a line.

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#44

Keeping your roster in check and messaging women behind your girlfriends back for attention.

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#45

Many ppl would say if the man is watching p*rn. However what doesn't get mentioned often is women reading smut. Some men don't like that and feel that it's "cheating". Some men also don't like when their partner writes/draws smut either.

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#46

Break up with someone and say you still want to fix the relationship but can’t do it rn, keep doing the same couple things you used to do. After a few months suddenly cut off all contact for 2 weeks, f**k someone else, come back and pretend nothing happened and say you still want to move on and fix the relationship.
Technically not cheating cause you’re not officially together, but still cheating since you’re going behind someone’s back and you know this person would leave you and never talk to you again if they knew.
Specific, I know.

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#47

Engaging in certain types of online behavior. Posting pics for validation, yes even on reddit. Liking someone else's suggestive pics. Texting with an opposite sex coworker or opposite sex friend excessively that isnt in a group chat with your partner. Following opposite sex on instagram for the suggestive photos. Any online engagement with the opposite sex basically. P*rn, I'm ok with. Cam girls or IG models, hard no.

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#48

My wife went into the water at the beach today with her friends and never goes in when we go together. I feel pretty s****y right now to tell you the truth.

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#49

Getting butterflies about someone you’re doing something with and you are attached…probably a form of cheating.

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#50

-Keeping friendly relationships with Exs

-Talking at night with someone else when your husband/wife is sleeping in the bed with you.

-Making new « friends » outside or in a club, and pretending that Its totally platonic in your side but we all know its BS. The other one wants you and you are pretending that you dont know it, just to keep that relationship in case your couple will not make you happy enough.

-Sleeping at someone else home, when you are only 2.. then pretending he is an old friend and you were too tired/drunk to go home safe.

-Deleting messages, hiding your phone.

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