(NewsNation) — Bad news for Hallmark and the Spangler Candy Company, the outfit that makes those “Be Mine” heart-shaped treats: A majority of single Americans aren’t looking for romance this Valentine’s Day — or, for that matter, at any other time.

According to a Pew Research February 2022 survey, 56% of single adults said they were not looking for a relationship or casual dates. Majorities of single adults who weren’t looking for a relationship or dates cited enjoying being single (72%) and having more important priorities (63%) as at least minor reasons why.

Smaller groups of singles said they were “too busy” or felt they were “too old” to pursue romantic relationships. More than a third said they were convinced that even if they did look for romance, no one would be interested.

And there’s an ever greater percentage of Americans sharing those opinions. A record share of American 40-year-olds have never been married, according to a Pew Center analysis of the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data. As of 2021, a quarter of 40-year-olds in the U.S. had never been married — up from 6% in 1980. While many unmarried 40-year-olds live with a romantic partner, most do not. In 2022, for instance, 22% of never-married adults ages 40 to 44 were cohabiting.

The COVID-19 pandemic apparently exacerbated the trend. In 2019, two-thirds of single-and-looking adults said their dating lives were not going well, and three-quarters said it was difficult for them to find people to date.

By February 2022, 63% — including similar shares of men and women — said dating got even harder during the pandemic.