Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer(s) on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship to come out of it.
A one-night stand can occur for different reasons, which varies from person to person - It may, for example, consist of young adults who are exploring their sexuality or engage in sexual activity as part of making out; or single people seeking to engage in sexual activity while not looking for any sort of commitment or relationship; or another example is a married person who has a fling but does not wish to disturb their marriage and family relationships.
Participants in a one-night stand usually have not known each other long and have had minimal time to get acquainted before engaging in sexual activity. The vast majority of one-night stands occur when both participants are under the influence of alcohol.[1][2] A high proportion of people who have participated in a one-night stand(s) have regretted it and according to surveys women regret it more than men.[3][4][5][6][7][8]
A one-time sexual encounter is not necessarily a one-night stand (i.e a one time sexual encounter within a relationship), the defining of a one-night stand is the absence of expectation or intention that the relationship will be extended beyond the initial sexual encounter.[9]
A one-night stand is also distinct from prostitution, as it takes place without direct payment of money, and from a casual relationship, which may not initially involve sex but occurs more than once whether it is short-term or long-term.
A one-night stand can be thought of as a one time sexual encounter which neither person has any desire for anything else. The participants usually have little or no contact with one another aside from sex. However, where the people involved have a regular sexual relationship without romantic involvement, this is generally considered a casual relationship, which is distinct from the one-night stand phenomenon.[10][11][12]