NSA means no strings attached: sex or dating with no commitment, no expectation of a relationship and no duty to stay in touch. The letters also stand for the US National Security Agency, which is the meaning in the news, but on dating apps and in adverts it is almost always no strings attached.
What NSA means in dating
NSA describes an arrangement, not a person. “Looking for NSA fun” means looking for casual sex without commitment, and it appears in dating profiles, classified ads and chat rooms. Sometimes the phrase is just “no strings”. It says what the person does not want as much as what they do.
NSA, FWB and a hookup
- NSA. The rule: no commitment and no expectations beyond the meeting.
- FWB. The same rule between friends, carried on over time. What FWB means.
- Hookup or one night stand. A single meeting. ONS, booty call and fling.
- Casual dating. Dates without commitment, where sex may or may not happen.
- Escort booking. A paid meeting with terms agreed beforehand.
What “no strings” should cover
No strings is a promise about expectations, not about feelings, and the two people may not mean the same thing by it. A few questions settle most of the misunderstandings:
- Does it mean exclusive or not, and do you tell each other about other people?
- Do you stay in touch between meetings, and how?
- Is staying over fine, or is it the point where it stops being casual?
- What is the plan if one of you wants more?
Health
Use condoms every time, and test regularly if you have more than one partner. NHS sexual health clinics offer free, confidential testing, and safety and help lists where to find one.
When NSA involves money
A genuine NSA arrangement between two people involves no payment. Someone who says they want NSA and then asks you to pay first, or to send a verification fee, is running a scam. If money is agreed for sex, the arrangement is escorting in law, whatever it is called: the Sexual Offences Act 2003 defines a prostitute as someone who offers sexual services in return for payment. That is lawful between consenting adults in England and Wales, with the offences around it set out in Is escorting legal in the UK?
NSA and escorts
Booking an escort is the commercial version of no strings: a defined time, a defined fee, and nothing owed afterwards. The difference is that the terms are explicit and paid for, which is why some people prefer it to an informal arrangement. What escorts charge has the measured London rates.