Does It Count As Cheating If On A “break”

From Belly and Jeremiah’s cheating debacle in The Summer I Turned Pretty to the iconic “We were on a break” moment from Friends, the same question keeps coming up: does it count as cheating if you’re on a “break”?

So, what even is cheating? According to Google (and basically every article ever), it’s when a partner breaks the emotional or sexual exclusivity of a committed relationship with another partner usually with secrecy and betrayal involved.

The consequences? Not great. We’re talking about loss of trust, lowered self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and even PTSD-level feelings for the person who gets cheated on. Yeah… not very fun.

A “break,” on the other hand, is supposed to be temporary. It’s a chance to step back, reflect, and figure things out, not a free pass to date someone else.

Here’s the thing though: even if it’s “allowed,” seeing your partner with someone else can still hurt a lot. It can make you feel replaceable and rejected, which hits with basically the same emotional punch as being cheated on in a “normal” relationship.

Of course, every relationship is different. How people define “cheating” or a “break” varies. But honestly, anything that hurts the person you love? Probably best to avoid it.

So, what’s the fix? Communication. As heavy as it feels, spelling things out before hitting pause is everything. Why are you taking a break? What are the goals? What’s off-limits? Setting clear boundaries helps reduce uncertainty and minimizes the hurt.

Remember: a break isn’t a hall pass to explore other connections. It’s a chance to figure yourself out and your needs before resuming the relationship should both partners still want it.

At the end of the day, the whole “we were on a break” debate feels more like a way to justify betrayal and it’s not an excuse to lean on. Remember, just like everything else in life, relationships need a strong foundation of communication and mutual respect.

So, to answer the question: whether it counts as cheating or not really depends on the couple and what was communicated beforehand. But regardless, it still hurts just as much……and it’s probably best to avoid altogether.