What Is A One Night Stand?

Definition:

A one night stand in the context of a relationship refers to a sexual interaction that only lasts one evening. Sometimes Person A will refer to Person B as a one night stand; in this case it refers to Person A and Person B having shared a one night stand, although occasionally it means the only role Person B can fill for Person A is a one night stand.

A one night stand differs from casual dating in that casual dating implies a longer term interaction, whereas a one night stand occurs only once. As well, casual dating usually refers to two people determining whether or not they are romantically compatible, whereas a one night stand is purely sex-based. Friends with benefits share sexual experiences together without a relationship commitment similar to a one night stand, but the 'friendly' portion of the benefits implies there's a prior friendship or at least ongoing interaction, where a one night stand could occur between friends but not for more than one evening.

The word one night stand originates from the same term used in the theater to reference a troupe or performance that offers a show for one night only in a certain locale.

_{Have you had a one night stand? Share your thoughts, experiences and advice: One Night Stand Stories}

Mentions of one night stands in popular culture:

• [book] My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
• [movie] Casella, Martin (Writer). (1995). One Night Stand.
• [movie] Figgis, Mike (Writer). (1997). One Night Stand.
• [song] One Night Stand by Enrique Iglesias.
• [sport] Extreme Championship Wrestling, One Night Stand, 2005.
• [TV] One Night Stand, 2010.

Related:

• One Night Stand Halloween Costume
• MyOneNightStand.co.uk
• How Long Do You Wait To Have Sex Poll
• Can Casual Sex Become a Relationship?
• Data Shows Increase in Women Seeking Casual Relationships
• From Relationship to Casual Sex?

Also Known As: dalliance, illicit meeting, one-nighter, playing the field, promiscuity, sleeping around, tryst