Hoovering refers to the manipulative tactics used by someone with @Cluster B traits to re-engage a former partner or significant other after a breakup or period of distance. Named after the vacuum brand, the term suggests the emotional “sucking back in” of someone who has tried to detach. The behavior often follows a predictable cycle: idealization, devaluation, discard—and then renewed idealization during the hoover. It can manifest through promises of change, sudden emotional vulnerability, fabricated crises, or even feigned apathy designed to draw the other person back into contact. The underlying driver is often a fear of abandonment or the collapse of identity when left alone

Contexts

• #cluster-b (See: @Cluster B)
• #cluster-b-lexicon (See: @Cluster B Glossary)