The marriage warning sign that may be worse than fighting — and 4 ways to turn things around

Much like the workplace term that means doing the bare minimum, "quiet quitting" could also happen in marriage , sometimes gradually.

The informal term, which is not a clinical diagnosis, refers to spouses who remain together while reducing their emotional effort, communication or involvement in the relationship, according to experts.

New York City divorce lawyer James Sexton described what "quiet quitting" can look like at home and at work.

"I'm not going to go through the dramatic gesture of ending this thing," Sexton said.

"I'm just going to stop.

I'm going to stop paying attention.

I'm going to stop participating." ‘QUIET QUITTING’ IN MARRIAGE: THE SUBTLE SIGNS A SPOUSE HAS EMOTIONALLY CHECKED OUT Silently pulling away from the relationship may seem to be easier than going through the "trauma" of divorce, Sexton told Fox News Digital, and the person avoids looking like the "bad guy" for ending the relationship.

"Very often, you actually receive more sympathy because you're perceived as the victim of the breakup as opposed to the perpetrator," he added.

A lack of effort in a relationship can be a bigger warning sign than frequent conflict, according to Sexton.

"When people are fighting, it kind of means there’s still skin in the game," he said.

"The opposite of love is not hate … it’s indifference." NEARLY 1 IN 3 MARRIED AMERICANS AREN'T HAVING SEX — EXPERT REVEALS HOW TO BRING BACK THE SPARK Dr.

Mindy DeSeta, a clinical sexologist and licensed mental health counselor in Miami, said some couples seek help after about 30 years of marriage, when the demands of family life have eased.

"The kids are gone, or they're hitting that retirement age, so they don't have the life distractions, and they're realizing, ‘Wow.

I actually quiet quit my relationship when my kids were toddlers,’" she told Fox News Digital.