Tertius News is an AI-native newsroom: an AI model reads the linked source articles below and extracts what each outlet reported, so you can compare their coverage side by side. How this works →
Survey Reveals Top Warning Signs a Relationship May Be Ending
A recent survey commissioned by SharkNinja has identified key warning signs that a romance may be failing, including fewer meaningful conversations and choosing phones over talking. The research also found that many people hold onto old microwaves longer than they stay in relationships, with 63% hoping for improvement in romance. Celebrity Olivia Attwood and SharkNinja's Carolyn Anderson commented on people's attachment to familiar things.
By Tertius News AI Desk2 distinct · 11 mastheads · 11 articlesVersion 1Coverage Published
distinct = voices after wire copies and reprints of the same article collapse; mastheads = publisher names; articles = URLs
Survey Highlights Relationship Warning Signs
A recent survey has shed light on the most significant warning signs that a romance may be nearing its end. According to the poll, having fewer meaningful conversations is one of the top indicators that the spark in a relationship is fading. This was closely followed by preferring to scroll through phones rather than talk to one another and retreating to separate rooms to watch television.
Additional warning signs included no longer doing fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to make an effort with date nights.
Among those who admitted to staying in a romantic relationship longer than necessary, 63% said they did so because they hoped things would improve, while 33% were afraid of change.
The Microwave Comparison
The research was commissioned by SharkNinja, which collaborated with Olivia Attwood, who posted a tongue-in-cheek video on her social media that begins like a heartfelt break-up conversation before revealing she is actually addressing her microwave.
The survey found that 47% of those polled have owned a microwave for longer than they remained in a romantic relationship, and 36% admitted to keeping one despite it no longer functioning properly. Among those holding onto an old appliance, 59% said it was because it still worked, while 36% had simply not got around to replacing it.
Olivia Attwood commented: "The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with. As much as I see the value in holding onto things that have served us for long periods of time, it's so important to upgrade certain elements of our lives."
Struggles to Let Go
The research also found that many people struggle to part with various items beyond their useful lifespan. This includes old chargers and cables (52%), clothes that no longer fit (52%), outdated receipts and paperwork (46%), and birthday cards and handwritten notes (43%).
Common frustrations with microwaves included unevenly cooked meals (16%), slow cooking times (15%) and crispy food losing its crunch (13%).
Dividing Possessions
The survey found that 13% of people have rowed with a former partner over who would keep household items. Televisions (43%), gaming consoles (29%), and microwaves (27%) were among the most hotly contested possessions. Moreover, 19% admitted they had held onto an appliance following a split primarily because they didn't want their ex-partner to have it.
Carolyn Anderson from SharkNinja UK said: "There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results."
How each outlet told it
A framing line is our reading of that outlet's own text — an interpretation, not a quotation and not a fact we assert. Check it against what the outlet published.
A recent survey revealed the most significant warning signs that a romance might be nearing its end
Having fewer meaningful conversations is one of the top signs the spark in your relationship is fading
Preferred to scroll through phones rather than talk to one another and retreating to separate rooms to watch TV
No longer doing fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to make an effort with date nights
63% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary did so because they hoped things would improve
33% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary were afraid of change
47% have owned a microwave for longer than they remained in a romantic relationship
36% admitted to keeping a microwave despite it no longer functioning properly
The research was commissioned by SharkNinja, which collaborated with Olivia Attwood, who posted a tongue-in-cheek video on her social media
Olivia Attwood said: 'The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with.'
59% of those hanging onto an old appliance said it was because it still worked
36% of those hanging onto an old appliance had just not got around to replacing it
Common frustrations: unevenly cooked meals (16%), slow cooking times (15%), and crispy food losing its crunch (13%)
Struggle to part with old chargers and cables (52%), clothes that no longer fit (52%), outdated receipts and paperwork (46%), and birthday cards and handwritten notes (43%)
13% have rowed with a former partner over who would keep household items
Televisions (43%), gaming consoles (29%), and microwaves (27%) were amongst the most hotly contested possessions
19% admitted they had held onto an appliance following a split primarily because they didn't want their ex-partner to have it
Carolyn Anderson from SharkNinja UK said: 'There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results.'
A recent survey revealed the most significant warning signs that a romance might be nearing its end
Having fewer meaningful conversations is one of the top signs the spark in your relationship is fading
Preferred to scroll through phones rather than talk to one another and retreating to separate rooms to watch TV
No longer doing fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to make an effort with date nights
63% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary did so because they hoped things would improve
33% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary were afraid of change
47% have owned a microwave for longer than they remained in a romantic relationship
36% admitted to keeping a microwave despite it no longer functioning properly
The research was commissioned by SharkNinja, which collaborated with Olivia Attwood, who posted a tongue-in-cheek video on her social media
Olivia Attwood said: 'The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with.'
59% of those hanging onto an old appliance said it was because it still worked
36% of those hanging onto an old appliance had just not got around to replacing it
Common frustrations: unevenly cooked meals (16%), slow cooking times (15%), and crispy food losing its crunch (13%)
Struggle to part with old chargers and cables (52%), clothes that no longer fit (52%), outdated receipts and paperwork (46%), and birthday cards and handwritten notes (43%)
13% have rowed with a former partner over who would keep household items
Televisions (43%), gaming consoles (29%), and microwaves (27%) were amongst the most hotly contested possessions
19% admitted they had held onto an appliance following a split primarily because they didn't want their ex-partner to have it
Carolyn Anderson from SharkNinja UK said: 'There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results.'
A recent survey revealed the most significant warning signs that a romance might be nearing its end
Having fewer meaningful conversations is one of the top signs the spark in your relationship is fading
Preferred to scroll through phones rather than talk to one another and retreating to separate rooms to watch TV
No longer doing fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to make an effort with date nights
63% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary did so because they hoped things would improve
33% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary were afraid of change
47% have owned a microwave for longer than they remained in a romantic relationship
36% admitted to keeping a microwave despite it no longer functioning properly
The research was commissioned by SharkNinja, which collaborated with Olivia Attwood, who posted a tongue-in-cheek video on her social media
Olivia Attwood said: 'The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with.'
59% of those hanging onto an old appliance said it was because it still worked
36% of those hanging onto an old appliance had just not got around to replacing it
Common frustrations: unevenly cooked meals (16%), slow cooking times (15%), and crispy food losing its crunch (13%)
Struggle to part with old chargers and cables (52%), clothes that no longer fit (52%), outdated receipts and paperwork (46%), and birthday cards and handwritten notes (43%)
13% have rowed with a former partner over who would keep household items
Televisions (43%), gaming consoles (29%), and microwaves (27%) were amongst the most hotly contested possessions
19% admitted they had held onto an appliance following a split primarily because they didn't want their ex-partner to have it
Carolyn Anderson from SharkNinja UK said: 'There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results.'
A recent survey revealed the most significant warning signs that a romance might be nearing its end
Having fewer meaningful conversations is one of the top signs the spark in your relationship is fading
Preferred to scroll through phones rather than talk to one another and retreating to separate rooms to watch TV
No longer doing fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to make an effort with date nights
63% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary did so because they hoped things would improve
33% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary were afraid of change
47% have owned a microwave for longer than they remained in a romantic relationship
36% admitted to keeping a microwave despite it no longer functioning properly
The research was commissioned by SharkNinja, which collaborated with Olivia Attwood, who posted a tongue-in-cheek video on her social media
Olivia Attwood said: 'The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with.'
59% of those hanging onto an old appliance said it was because it still worked
36% of those hanging onto an old appliance had just not got around to replacing it
Common frustrations: unevenly cooked meals (16%), slow cooking times (15%), and crispy food losing its crunch (13%)
Struggle to part with old chargers and cables (52%), clothes that no longer fit (52%), outdated receipts and paperwork (46%), and birthday cards and handwritten notes (43%)
13% have rowed with a former partner over who would keep household items
Televisions (43%), gaming consoles (29%), and microwaves (27%) were amongst the most hotly contested possessions
19% admitted they had held onto an appliance following a split primarily because they didn't want their ex-partner to have it
Carolyn Anderson from SharkNinja UK said: 'There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results.'
A recent survey revealed the most significant warning signs that a romance might be nearing its end
Having fewer meaningful conversations is one of the top signs the spark in your relationship is fading
Preferred to scroll through phones rather than talk to one another and retreating to separate rooms to watch TV
No longer doing fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to make an effort with date nights
63% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary did so because they hoped things would improve
33% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary were afraid of change
47% have owned a microwave for longer than they remained in a romantic relationship
36% admitted to keeping a microwave despite it no longer functioning properly
The research was commissioned by SharkNinja, which collaborated with Olivia Attwood, who posted a tongue-in-cheek video on her social media
Olivia Attwood said: 'The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with.'
59% of those hanging onto an old appliance said it was because it still worked
36% of those hanging onto an old appliance had just not got around to replacing it
Common frustrations: unevenly cooked meals (16%), slow cooking times (15%), and crispy food losing its crunch (13%)
Struggle to part with old chargers and cables (52%), clothes that no longer fit (52%), outdated receipts and paperwork (46%), and birthday cards and handwritten notes (43%)
13% have rowed with a former partner over who would keep household items
Televisions (43%), gaming consoles (29%), and microwaves (27%) were amongst the most hotly contested possessions
19% admitted they had held onto an appliance following a split primarily because they didn't want their ex-partner to have it
Carolyn Anderson from SharkNinja UK said: 'There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results.'
Framing: Highlights the warning signs that the romance is fading, focusing on the signals of relationship decline — measured and humorous
Facts Included:
A recent survey revealed the most significant warning signs that a romance might be nearing its end
Having fewer meaningful conversations is one of the top signs the spark in your relationship is fading
Preferred to scroll through phones rather than talk to one another and retreating to separate rooms to watch TV
No longer doing fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to make an effort with date nights
63% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary did so because they hoped things would improve
33% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary were afraid of change
47% have owned a microwave for longer than they remained in a romantic relationship
36% admitted to keeping a microwave despite it no longer functioning properly
The research was commissioned by SharkNinja, which collaborated with Olivia Attwood, who posted a tongue-in-cheek video on her social media
Olivia Attwood said: 'The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with.'
59% of those hanging onto an old appliance said it was because it still worked
36% of those hanging onto an old appliance had just not got around to replacing it
Common frustrations: unevenly cooked meals (16%), slow cooking times (15%), and crispy food losing its crunch (13%)
Struggle to part with old chargers and cables (52%), clothes that no longer fit (52%), outdated receipts and paperwork (46%), and birthday cards and handwritten notes (43%)
13% have rowed with a former partner over who would keep household items
Televisions (43%), gaming consoles (29%), and microwaves (27%) were amongst the most hotly contested possessions
19% admitted they had held onto an appliance following a split primarily because they didn't want their ex-partner to have it
Carolyn Anderson from SharkNinja UK said: 'There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results.'
A recent survey revealed the most significant warning signs that a romance might be nearing its end
Having fewer meaningful conversations is one of the top signs the spark in your relationship is fading
Preferred to scroll through phones rather than talk to one another and retreating to separate rooms to watch TV
No longer doing fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to make an effort with date nights
63% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary did so because they hoped things would improve
33% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary were afraid of change
47% have owned a microwave for longer than they remained in a romantic relationship
36% admitted to keeping a microwave despite it no longer functioning properly
The research was commissioned by SharkNinja, which collaborated with Olivia Attwood, who posted a tongue-in-cheek video on her social media
Olivia Attwood said: 'The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with.'
59% of those hanging onto an old appliance said it was because it still worked
36% of those hanging onto an old appliance had just not got around to replacing it
Common frustrations: unevenly cooked meals (16%), slow cooking times (15%), and crispy food losing its crunch (13%)
Struggle to part with old chargers and cables (52%), clothes that no longer fit (52%), outdated receipts and paperwork (46%), and birthday cards and handwritten notes (43%)
13% have rowed with a former partner over who would keep household items
Televisions (43%), gaming consoles (29%), and microwaves (27%) were amongst the most hotly contested possessions
19% admitted they had held onto an appliance following a split primarily because they didn't want their ex-partner to have it
Carolyn Anderson from SharkNinja UK said: 'There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results.'
A recent survey revealed the most significant warning signs that a romance might be nearing its end
Having fewer meaningful conversations is one of the top signs the spark in your relationship is fading
Preferred to scroll through phones rather than talk to one another and retreating to separate rooms to watch TV
No longer doing fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to make an effort with date nights
63% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary did so because they hoped things would improve
33% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary were afraid of change
47% have owned a microwave for longer than they remained in a romantic relationship
36% admitted to keeping a microwave despite it no longer functioning properly
The research was commissioned by SharkNinja, which collaborated with Olivia Attwood, who posted a tongue-in-cheek video on her social media
Olivia Attwood said: 'The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with.'
59% of those hanging onto an old appliance said it was because it still worked
36% of those hanging onto an old appliance had just not got around to replacing it
Common frustrations: unevenly cooked meals (16%), slow cooking times (15%), and crispy food losing its crunch (13%)
Struggle to part with old chargers and cables (52%), clothes that no longer fit (52%), outdated receipts and paperwork (46%), and birthday cards and handwritten notes (43%)
13% have rowed with a former partner over who would keep household items
Televisions (43%), gaming consoles (29%), and microwaves (27%) were amongst the most hotly contested possessions
19% admitted they had held onto an appliance following a split primarily because they didn't want their ex-partner to have it
Carolyn Anderson from SharkNinja UK said: 'There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results.'
A recent survey revealed the most significant warning signs that a romance might be nearing its end
Having fewer meaningful conversations is one of the top signs the spark in your relationship is fading
Preferred to scroll through phones rather than talk to one another and retreating to separate rooms to watch TV
No longer doing fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to make an effort with date nights
63% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary did so because they hoped things would improve
33% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary were afraid of change
47% have owned a microwave for longer than they remained in a romantic relationship
36% admitted to keeping a microwave despite it no longer functioning properly
The research was commissioned by SharkNinja, which collaborated with Olivia Attwood, who posted a tongue-in-cheek video on her social media
Olivia Attwood said: 'The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with.'
59% of those hanging onto an old appliance said it was because it still worked
36% of those hanging onto an old appliance had just not got around to replacing it
Common frustrations: unevenly cooked meals (16%), slow cooking times (15%), and crispy food losing its crunch (13%)
Struggle to part with old chargers and cables (52%), clothes that no longer fit (52%), outdated receipts and paperwork (46%), and birthday cards and handwritten notes (43%)
13% have rowed with a former partner over who would keep household items
Televisions (43%), gaming consoles (29%), and microwaves (27%) were amongst the most hotly contested possessions
19% admitted they had held onto an appliance following a split primarily because they didn't want their ex-partner to have it
Carolyn Anderson from SharkNinja UK said: 'There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results.'
A recent survey revealed the most significant warning signs that a romance might be nearing its end
Having fewer meaningful conversations is one of the top signs the spark in your relationship is fading
Preferred to scroll through phones rather than talk to one another and retreating to separate rooms to watch TV
No longer doing fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to make an effort with date nights
63% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary did so because they hoped things would improve
33% of those who stayed in a romantic relationship longer than necessary were afraid of change
47% have owned a microwave for longer than they remained in a romantic relationship
36% admitted to keeping a microwave despite it no longer functioning properly
The research was commissioned by SharkNinja, which collaborated with Olivia Attwood, who posted a tongue-in-cheek video on her social media
Olivia Attwood said: 'The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with.'
59% of those hanging onto an old appliance said it was because it still worked
36% of those hanging onto an old appliance had just not got around to replacing it
Common frustrations: unevenly cooked meals (16%), slow cooking times (15%), and crispy food losing its crunch (13%)
Struggle to part with old chargers and cables (52%), clothes that no longer fit (52%), outdated receipts and paperwork (46%), and birthday cards and handwritten notes (43%)
13% have rowed with a former partner over who would keep household items
Televisions (43%), gaming consoles (29%), and microwaves (27%) were amongst the most hotly contested possessions
19% admitted they had held onto an appliance following a split primarily because they didn't want their ex-partner to have it
Carolyn Anderson from SharkNinja UK said: 'There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results.'
Framing: The headline emphasizes a list of warning signs that a relationship may be ending
Facts Included:
A new survey has uncovered the most telling warning signs that a romance may be on the rocks - from fewer meaningful chats to scrolling through phones instead of talking
Having fewer meaningful chats ranks as one of the top signs that the spark in your relationship is fading
This was closely followed by opting to browse through your phones rather than talking to one another, and watching television in separate rooms
Further warning signs included no longer enjoying fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to put any effort into romantic nights out
More than six in 10 of those who admitted to remaining in a relationship longer than they should have done so because they hoped things would improve — yet 33% were simply afraid of change
The research was commissioned by SharkNinja, which joined forces with Olivia Attwood
Olivia Attwood observed: "The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with."
Almost half (47%) of those surveyed acknowledge they have retained a microwave for a longer period than they remained in a romantic relationship, while 36% admitted to holding onto it despite it no longer functioning correctly - mirroring comparable reasons for remaining in a relationship
The research showed 36% hadn't got round to swapping their microwave yet, but as a result people continuing to put up with common frustrations, such as unevenly cooked meals(pc16%), slow cooking times(15%), and crispy food losing its crunch(13%)
It also came to light that many find it difficult to part with various items well beyond their useful lifespan, including old chargers and cables(52%), alongside clothing that no longer fits(52%), outdated receipts and paperwork(46%), and birthday cards and handwritten messages(43%)
Carolyn Anderson,from SharkNinja UK, commented: "There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results."
AI-extracted; can misattribute a claim — see Methodology.
Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status is Contested when two claims on this page negate each other; otherwise it counts the mastheads we found asserting that specific claim — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.
Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimA recent survey revealed the most significant warning signs that a romance might be nearing its end.
ClaimWarning signs of a fading relationship include preferring to scroll through phones rather than talk to one another and retreating to separate rooms to watch TV.
ClaimAdditional warning signs of a failing relationship include no longer doing fun activities together, sleeping in separate beds, and failing to make an effort with date nights.
ClaimOlivia Attwood said: "The fact that so many people have owned a microwave for longer than a relationship shows just how attached we become to things we're familiar with."
ClaimCarolyn Anderson from SharkNinja UK said: "There's something very British about putting up with something because it technically still works, even when we know it could be delivering much better results."