Dry Texting – What It Is, Means, & How To Handle It!
You and your date hit it off in person, but when you go home and start to chat over text, it all fizzles out because his responses are incredibly lackluster!
He doesn’t initiate conversation, he doesn’t keep the conversation going, he takes ages to respond, or he just doesn’t seem interested at all – all signs that he is dry texting!
Dealing with a dry texter can be so frustrating – are they into you or not? Do you keep putting in the effort to keep the conversation going, or do you let it all fade away?
If you suspect that you are stuck in a one-sided conversation with a dry texter, keep reading to find out what dry texting actually looks like, why guys tend to dry text, and how you can deal with it all!
You don’t want to let go of someone who you have feelings for just because they dry text – so it is worth finding out if they are just not natural-born texters, or if they really are just not interested in you!
What Is Dry Texting?
Dry texting is something that happens when you are in a text conversation with someone. The other person only responds with short texts and does not text anything that engages in the conversation or keeps the conversation going.
Their replies to you might be one or two words at most, and the whole conversation from their side seems repetitive, and for you, this is really boring.
If you feel as though you are the only one putting any effort into the conversation and talking to someone is exhausting because you are keeping the conversation going, then it is probably a case of dry texting.
Now, one might assume that dry texting automatically means that the other person has lost interest and is no longer wanting to continue dating or with the conversation, but this isn’t always true.
It could be that they just do not enjoy texting, or that they are busy. It is best not to jump to conclusions when stuck in a dry texting situation!
It is important to understand that dry texting is mostly a pattern of conversation with one-worded answers and dry responses. One bad day of texting doesn’t constitute as dry texting.
What Does Dry Texting Look Like?
Dry texting isn’t a single message sent – it’s a pattern of texting which shows that the other person is not putting effort into keeping the conversation going. You will notice that all the responses from the other person are boring, short, and seemingly disinterested.
Here are some of the things to look out for that show you that the other person is dry texting -so you can know for sure when you are stuck in a dry texting loop!
One-Worded Answers
One-worded answers are a dry-texters favorite. You will constantly receive replies of “okay” “k” “lol” “yes” “no” or any other word they can use to reply to your text, without needing to put any more effort in.
Short Conversations
When you are texting someone you like, and they like you back, the conversation flows and neither of you wants the conversation to come to an end.
With a dry texter, they will not put any more effort into keeping the conversation going, and will not ask questions or engage with you any further. They will answer your questions and that is it.
Never Starting Conversation
A dry texter will not start conversation, and will instead wait for you to do so. The only time they would ever message you first is if they needed to know something, but once you respond, the conversation will likely end there.
Ignore Messages
Photos, memes, jokes, or links you send might be ignored and never responded to, as the dry texter does not feel like putting the effort into replying or even looking at these.
All the messages or attachments you think are relevant or entertaining just don’t ever get a reaction from them.
Left On Read
Life is busy, and we all understand that, but if you know that the other person has time to respond, but leaves you on read constantly, then it is a good sign that they are a dry texter.
They only respond to you when it suits them, and they are never in a rush to get back to you.
They Ignore You
They might also just ignore you completely if they feel like your message doesn’t warrant a response, or if they do not have anything to say. They won’t acknowledge anything you have said.
Signs Your Conversations Are Turning Dry
Dry texting doesn’t always happen from day one! You and your crush might have great conversation together, only for it to slowly fade away and turn into dry texting.
There are quite a few different reasons why a conversation might turn dry – they might not be interested in you anymore, they might not feel that spark that motivates them to message you 24/7, or they might become busy.
While there are different reasons why someone might start dry texting after a while, it is good to know what might cause it, so you know how to move forward. Here are some signs that your conversations are turning dry:
Their Replies Take Longer
If they usually respond to you straight away and you never have to deal with being left on read, and then suddenly they start taking longer and longer to reply, it shows that the conversation is turning dry.
They might read your messages, but not feel the need to reply so quickly, so you are left waiting for who knows how long until they actually reply if they ever do!
Shorter Messages
Their paragraphs are getting shorter, and the long replies they once sent are now short, one-worded or one sentence replies that do not engage any more conversation at all.
The tone of their texts will also change from enthusiastic to nonchalant or not interested at all.
They Avoid Making Plans
Another sign that your conversations might be turning dry is if they begin to avoid making any plans. They might ignore the messages you send about trying to meet up, or they cancel plans or make excuses to not see you. Their texts become shorter and your interactions fade too.
How Do You Respond To A Dry Texter?
It feels exhausting trying to keep a conversation with a dry texter, especially if you are the only one putting any effort in to keep the conversation alive!
If you are a bit lost with how to respond to a dry texter, here are a few things to try which hopefully prompt them to text a little better:
Bring Up His Interests
One way to get him to reply with a little more enthusiasm is to bring up his interests and ask questions about what he likes, such as hobbies or sports.
This is also a great way to get to know him a little better, and if the two of you have only just started talking, then you might want to keep the questions open-ended, you might even find a common interest that you didn’t know the two of you have shared.
Hopefully, this prompts him to be more engaged in the conversation, and he asks you more questions too.
Ask Fun Questions
If you have run out of questions to ask about his interests, you could try asking some fun questions and gauge his response from there.
Ask him what his favorite travel destination is, how he would spend the evening if he had a million dollars for one night, or ask him for his controversial food opinions.
This is a fun, interesting way to keep the conversation going if he plays along, and the two of you can get to know each other a little better.
Bring Up A Memory
You can try to catch his interest again by bringing up a memory that the two of you share. You might have driven past a diner where you had your first date or the movie theater where you watched your favorite film together.
This could get him sentimental again, and he might be more willing to engage in the conversation more when he has stronger feelings towards the topic.
Flirt A Little
Maybe the conversation that the two of you have been having isn’t very interesting for him and he hasn’t felt the urge to put in more effort because of it. To help spice things up and get his attention, you can flirt a little.
Tell him that he looked cute when you went on the date, pay him a compliment, call him a cute name, or whatever you feel is appropriate for your relationship.
The little confidence boost might be a great motivator for him to be more engaging in conversation, and you might even get some flirty texts back!
Send A Selfie
So this could go either way, you could send him a cute selfie and it could brighten his day up and he is more excited to text you, or you could send him a cute selfie and he ignores it and it leaves you feeling awkward!
Whichever happens, at least you will know how to proceed! If he loves the picture and it gets him talking again, great! However, if he ignores the pic or doesn’t show any real interest, then maybe he just isn’t worth sending pictures to!
Ask Why He Dry Texts
You could go the direct route and ask him why his texts are so short and why he seems so disinterested in conversation.
Through this, he might say that he prefers chatting in person or over a video call, or he might just tell you that he does not enjoy texting at all.
This could have nothing to do with how interested he is in you, but rather how he feels about being on his phone all the time.
Dry Text Back
You could try to give him a taste of his own medicine and dry text him back. He might not enjoy the one-worded replies you give him, or he could feel frustrated that you are not initiating conversation with him.
One of two things can happen in this scenario – he realizes how difficult it can be talking to a dry texter and he puts more effort in, or the two of you just stop talking altogether and it shows that maybe you were not meant to be!
Psssst… Make Sure To Read This As Well: How To Not Be A Dry Texter
How To Stop Dry Texting
Dry texting doesn’t have to be a forever thing, and there are ways to stop it from continuing. However, in order to stop dry texting from carrying on, you need to know what is causing it. It is not necessarily fixing the dry texting, but rather the factors that are causing it.
You might find out that your crush doesn’t enjoy texting, and if this is something that is not going to change, you can try texting them less, and only contacting them when you need to talk. If this isn’t something that will affect your relationship, then it is worth compromising on.
It could be that your crush prefers talking over the phone, so maybe video calling might become the best way that the two of you to stay in touch.
Maybe they have picked up extra shifts at work and are now too busy to reply properly to you during those times, and in this case, you can choose a short period during the day when the two of you are free to have more in-depth conversations.
The worst-case scenario is that your crush is no longer interested in you, and if this happens, then it is best to just cut the conversation completely and find someone who is more worthy of your time!
You could also try to change up the conversation a bit to get them out of their dry texting rut. Ask engaging questions, talk about their interests and hobbies, and see if that changes anything at all.
Why Is He Dry Texting Me?
Understanding why someone might be dry texting you is the best way to work out what to do next. If it turns out that they aren’t interested in a relationship or in talking to you, then you can cut ties and move on.
If it turns out that they are busy, then you can work around this. Figuring out why they text the way they do should be your first step! Here are some of the most common reasons why someone might dry text:
He Is Busy
They could simply be busy with work, school, or other activities, and they don’t have the time to send long-winded replies to you or engage in conversation that maybe doesn’t need to be had. Just try to be mindful of this and not expect too much from them.
You Are Overwhelming
This takes a little bit of reflection, but could it be that you are overwhelming them with too much texting? The two of you do not need to be in constant contact 24/7, and you don’t have to ask him a million questions all in one go.
You might be coming across as too strong, and this could be overwhelming him a bit. He doesn’t feel like he can keep up, so instead of rising to your level, he backs down and dry texts you.
Try and hold back a little bit, and meet him halfway. He might be more comfortable with fewer texts and fewer questions, and it could even bring out a new texting side of him!
He Is Disinterested
It could be that he is disinterested in the conversation and find no motivation to talk any more than he needs to. It could be a disinterest in the conversation or even in the relationship, so there is no urge for him to reply in an engaging way.
He Does Not Enjoy Texting
Not everyone is a fan of being available on text 24/7, and he might just not enjoy texting, which is absolutely fine, as long as it is something that you are okay with as well.
It could be a good thing – the two of you might put more emphasis on spending quality time together, and find that you have more to talk about in person when you are not constantly talking over text.
He Is Non-Commital
Another reason he might be dry texting is that he feels afraid to give anymore because he isn’t sure if he wants to commit or not. He might think that being engaging and constantly texting shows that he is wanting more when in reality he doesn’t know whether or not he does.
This isn’t fair on you, and he needs to make a decision on whether or not he is interested in exploring things with you, instead of just keeping you on a hook without giving you anything meaningful.
What Does It Mean When A Girl Is Dry Texting?
When a girl is dry texting, it means pretty much the same as when a guy does it, but it can also be a little more complicated.
One of the main reasons why girls start dry texting, other than not being interested in the other person, is because they feel uncomfortable.
The other person texting might be making them feel uncomfortable, might be coming across as too strong, or maybe even being inappropriate. Ignoring this person might not be an option, so short, one-worded replies are the next best thing.
However, girls can be just as busy as guys, and she might just be preoccupied with work, school, or hobbies, and she does not have the time to sit and text all day long.
With anyone, it is best to be direct and ask why their texts are so short, and if it has something to do with how they feel about you. Hopefully, this gives you the answer you need to make a decision going forward!
When Should I Stop Texting?
There might come a point where you need to decide how to move forward. If texting and keeping in touch are important to you, then you would want to be talking to someone who shares this.
Even if they are dry texting for legitimate reasons, it could be a deal-breaker for you. You need to decide if you can handle the dry texts, or if you want something more from them. It is best to not expect it to change, as that could just lead to delayed heartbreak later on.
If it turns out that they are dry texting because they are not interested in a relationship, then your answer as to what to do is pretty easy. Give yourself the credit you deserve and move on. You should be with someone who respects you and who can give you what you need – not half messages and replies.
It is probably also time to give up hope on any potential relationship if he doesn’t put effort into making plans to see you, or if he won’t video call you either. There is obviously something lacking from his side, and you do not have to compromise for this or pick up the slack on his end.
Dry Texting – What To Do
Dealing with a dry texter can be such a pain! You are excited to learn more about your new crush and have engaging, fun conversations with them, but all they can give you are one-word answers if you are lucky enough to even get a reply!
There are various reasons why someone might be a dry texter, some of them very understandable and harmless, but it could also be a sign that they are not interested in the relationship and you need to move on.
Take a read through all of the above on dry texting to learn how to identify it, why guys dry text, and what you can do when you are stuck in a boring conversation with a dry texter!
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Founder. Entrepreneur. Recovering Perfectionist. Not necessarily in that order.
I run on bad jokes and good food. Lover of life and experiences, I did the nomad thing for four years.
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