Dating Dictionary · Updated September 9, 2026
Wokefishing
Wokefishing means faking progressive beliefs to attract a partner. See how it differs from catfishing and kittenfishing, and how to spot a real pattern.
Wokefishing means presenting progressive political or social views someone doesn't actually hold in order to attract a romantic partner.
Writer Serena Smith coined the term in a July 2020 Vice article, describing people who "masquerade as holding progressive political views to ensnare potential partners"; the word blends "woke" with "catfish."
The word describes a misleading presentation of beliefs and values rather than the person's identity or life details. The misrepresentation might involve feminism, anti-racism, or climate action, and it is more than an isolated lapse or imperfect adherence: the key is a sustained gap between the beliefs someone presents as dating appeal and what they actually believe.
That gap may not show up on a profile. It often surfaces later, through comments and behavior that repeatedly contradict the values the person claimed to hold.
Does this count as wokefishing? A quick comparison
The term has a specific meaning, so it helps to check a real situation against it before you use the label. Here's how a few common scenarios measure up.
| The situation | What the definition covers | Source note |
|---|---|---|
| A profile leads with feminist or anti-racist language and activist credentials, but the person's actual conduct keeps contradicting those claims | A repeated gap between stated values and conduct is a reason to question the presentation, not proof of intent on its own. The term fits only when the progressive persona was knowingly false and used to attract a partner — otherwise the contradictions establish inconsistency, not necessarily wokefishing. | Smith, who coined the term, defines it as masquerading as progressive to attract partners; Metro's own example matches this pattern — claiming feminism while slut-shaming women |
| A single social media post about a cause, like racism or climate change, with no other pattern behind it | One post isn't a pattern. The term describes a sustained presentation used to attract someone, not an isolated moment with no contradicting behavior behind it | Metro and the New York Post both describe wokefishing as pretending to hold progressive views specifically to attract a partner — a single post doesn't establish that on its own |
| Someone says their political or social views have changed since first meeting | Genuine change is different from wokefishing, which requires the original presentation to have been misleading from the start | The published definition turns on a presentation that was misleading when it was made; Metro allows that opinions can genuinely change and grow, and distinguishes that from adopting a progressive label without conduct to match |
How the mismatch shows up over time
Dazed reported that the real opinions behind a wokefishing persona "tend to emerge weeks, months, or even years into the relationship," which is exactly why the profile itself often looks fine.
Metro.co.uk describes exactly what that delay looks like in practice: someone presents as progressive early on, and it's only once you get to know them that their actual views turn out to be sexist, racist, or otherwise at odds with what they first claimed.
How it differs from catfishing and kittenfishing
Metro.co.uk lays out the family of dating deception clearly: catfishing means masquerading as another person, while kittenfishing means using old or edited photos to present a more flattering version of oneself. Dictionary.com's kittenfishing entry similarly describes kittenfishing as a subtler misrepresentation than the full false identity used in catfishing.
Unlike catfishing, the wokefishing label refers to false claims about values rather than a false identity, although the two forms of deception can overlap. The misleading presentation may involve feminist or anti-racist language, activist involvement, or sustainability claims offered as genuine when the person's conduct does not match.
Why people wokefish
The motive that keeps showing up across the reporting is straightforward: attracting a partner who might otherwise turn the person down. The Cambridge Dictionary blog defines wokefishing as pretending to care about issues like racism and inequality "in order to attract someone you want to have a romantic relationship with." Deseret News framed the same goal more specifically, describing the aim as meeting someone who would normally discount the person because of their political views.
One bad moment, or a pattern?
It matters whether the earlier claim was ever backed by anything real — behavior that lined up with it, even when that cost something — or whether it only ever lived in the profile and the first few conversations.
A convincing explanation can add context, but it doesn't prove sincerity, and a repeated mismatch doesn't by itself prove the early presentation was an act. "Wokefishing" fits when the facts support that the progressive front was knowingly false and used as romantic appeal; short of that, recurring contradictions are still reason enough to ask questions and reconsider how much more you want to invest.
What to do once you notice the gap
Ask directly instead of guessing. If someone's comments about race, gender, or politics do not match what they said when you first started talking, name the specific contradiction and ask them to explain it, rather than deciding on your own what it means.
Listen to the explanation, then compare it with what the person does next. One reaction is not proof; a repeated mismatch between the explanation and later conduct tells you more.
If you want a fuller picture of what someone has said and done publicly before you decide how much more time to give this, a report from TheTeaReport can pull together public profiles, posts, and other information already online alongside basic identity details.
From there, the decision is yours to make on your own terms: whether a repeated values mismatch is something you are willing to keep dating through, or a clear enough pattern to walk away from.
Quick answers about wokefishing, catfishing, and kittenfishing
What does "-fishing" mean in dating slang?
The "-fishing" suffix comes from catfishing and is now used for different kinds of dating dishonesty: catfishing uses a false identity, kittenfishing flatters a real person's profile, and wokefishing misrepresents political or social beliefs.
What is kittenfishing, and how is it different from catfishing?
Dictionary.com defines kittenfishing as making yourself look better on a dating app through old or heavily edited photos and inflated descriptions of your job, age, or interests. Catfishing goes further: it means assuming a completely false identity or personality online. Kittenfishing exaggerates a real profile, while catfishing uses a false identity or personality online.
Does wokefishing count as catfishing?
Not by definition. Catfishing means using a materially false identity or persona — a fake name, photo, or invented backstory — to lure someone into a relationship, according to Dictionary.com and Metro.co.uk. Wokefishing works differently: the person's real identity stays intact, and the misrepresentation is about their political or social beliefs instead. The two aren't mutually exclusive, though — someone running a fake identity could misrepresent their values within it too.
What does "wokefish" mean as a verb?
To wokefish someone means presenting progressive political or social beliefs you don't actually hold in order to attract them romantically. The word also works as a noun: a wokefish is the person doing it — someone who puts on progressive views as dating appeal while their actual views turn out otherwise.
Sources and further reading
- Men are ‘wokefishing’ women by pretending to be feminists on dating apps | Dazed (dazeddigital.com)
- What is wokefishing and how can you spot it? (metro.co.uk)
- kittenfishing | Slang | Dictionary.com (dictionary.com)
- New words – 10 July 2023 - About Words - Cambridge Dictionary blog (dictionaryblog.cambridge.org)
- The newest dating trend — 'Wokefishing.' Here's what it ... (deseret.com)
Stop guessing. Start vetting.
Criminal records, marriage history, and sex-offender registry checks. All the tea you deserve before you invest your time, energy, and trust.