How to Reply to a Dry Text from a Guy You Like

You’re texting the guy you like, but then he starts sending one-word texts or doesn’t even respond at all. All three of these are typical signs of dry texting. It could be that he doesn’t like you very much, but it could also be that you just need to change the way you text a bit to get him interested in texting back. We’ll show you some texts you can send to make the conversation more interesting, test if he likes you, and know when to leave the conversation. Continue reading below for the list of ways to respond when a guy sends you such a text!

Table of Contents

Determine why he sends dry texts.

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Maybe he’s busy or doesn’t like texting, or maybe he doesn’t care much about you. Short texts are often incredibly frustrating, but try to be patient the few times he sends terse texts or is slow to respond. If he starts to resume the conversation or send more detailed messages, then he must have been busy. However, if you find that he specializes in texting like this, ask yourself the following questions:

Does he usually start a conversation first? If you’re the one who always sends texts first, it’s possible that he doesn’t like you. Bad luck for him!
How does he usually communicate in real life? Are you a chatty guy or reserved? Maybe he’s a little shy or introverted and doesn’t like small talk. Try using some of the conversation starters below to see if you can attract him.
Has he ever sent long texts? If his messages are suddenly cut off, then maybe he had a bad day that day. You should also remember the last time you interacted with each other and think about if you did something to make him angry. If not, leave him alone to see if he texts back.
When do his texts become dry? For example, does he answer shorter when you bring up a certain topic? Maybe he just likes to talk during certain times of the day or about certain topics. Try changing the subject to see if he sends more audible messages.

Restart the conversation by mentioning his interests.

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He can send dry messages when he doesn’t like the topic of conversation. Play the ball across his field by prompting him to talk about his hobbies. Use open-ended and relatively general questions, especially if you don’t know him well. If you can find a common interest for both of you to start a conversation, even better! ^{[1] X Research Source}

“If you had 48 hours to do whatever you wanted, what would you do?”
“Is there something you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t had the chance to do?” ^{[2] X Trusted Source Greater Good in Action Go to Source}

Use funny questions to save boring conversations.

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Maybe he’s not interested in talking about school, work, or the day’s happenings. A funny question will help change the atmosphere and turn the conversation into a game. See if he likes games like “tell the truth or be punished” or “which way do you choose?” If not, you can send him one of these simple and fun messages like: ^{[3] X Research Source}

“If you were given 3 wishes right now, what would you wish for?”
“If you could travel through time, would you rather go to the future or go back to the past?”
“Is there something you like that everyone hates?”

Review a happy memory to remind him of your bond.

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Start a text with something like “Do you remember the time we were…?” If you’ve met him in person or have been on a couple of dates, use common experiences or insider jokes to rekindle your inspiration. If two people haven’t seen each other in a while, text messages often fade because they don’t have new memories together. While you’re waiting for your next date, remind him of the fun times when you two met in real life. ^{[4] X Research Source} Try some of these inspirational messages:

“I just passed our coffee shop. Do you remember the day we ordered that giant milkshake?”
“Of course I remember the time when you and I burst out laughing in front of a movie theater and a lady kept staring. Do you remember what I laughed about?”

Send a photo for more to talk about.

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Send a photo of something interesting or funny around you. A picture can stir up a conversation, especially when his replies are fading. Remember not to send private pictures unless you know he’s comfortable too. ^{[5] X Research Resources} Read through the ideas below:

Capture a beautiful natural scene around you.
Capture your appealing looking meal.
Do a funny action and take a picture.

Flirt a bit to see if he likes you.

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If he responds positively then you have nothing to worry about. Moreover, once the inspiration is aroused, there is a high chance that he will respond with longer, more interesting messages. You can send a flirty emoji saying you’re looking forward to seeing him again, or send him a text of compliments. If he likes you, he’ll probably flirt back or at least respond with something funny. ^{[6] X Research Sources} Consider the following examples:

“You looked so handsome last night.”
“Now I know how funny you are. I remember the story you told at the party the other day and I kept laughing.”
“Hello handsome prince! What are you doing?”

Explore how he feels about texting.

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Your guy may not like texting very much, or even at all. You should check how comfortable he is and what he likes. There are guys who send dry texts because they don’t like texting, so keep in mind that a text like that doesn’t necessarily mean the guy doesn’t like you. Try replying to a dry message with something like:

“How do you find texting different from live chat?”
“Hey man, what do you think about texting?”
“How do you usually contact people? Do you prefer texting or calling?”

Ask him if he likes calling or video chatting.

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Ask this question to see if he actually likes you. Dry texting is a tactic guys use to signal that they don’t like you – especially if he’s also refusing other forms of communication. If he doesn’t want to call or video chat, forget about him! Try sending one of these messages to see if it’s time to leave the conversation:

“Tonight, I suddenly felt like talking like old times. Shall I call?”
“I miss your handsome face. Shall we video chat?”
“Texting is always boring. Would you like to make a phone call?”

Ask him if he wants to meet up.

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Guess if he likes you by asking him directly. Let him know that you like him. If he agrees, you’ll know he’s planning on seeing you. If the guy refuses, you can find someone else to talk to. Anyway, texting with someone you like should be fun!

“Hey, I like you. Shall we go out and play some day?”
“I love talking to you. Shall we go to lunch together this Thursday after school is over?”
“Do you want me to go out and play?”

Prevent dry texting by sending more specific questions.

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Message “Do you have anything special today?” instead of “How are you?” Avoid “yes”/”no” questions that he can answer with one word. By asking specific questions and transforming a common question, you will get a more complete answer from his side. ^{[7] X Research Source} Plus, by asking about the highlights of his day, you can see what he values and what passions he has for deeper conversations.

On average, people pick up their phones 58 times a day. ^{[8] X Research Source} If hours have passed and your message has not been answered, it is possible that he has seen it but is not interested.

Tell him what types of texts you like.

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Do this with the guy you’ve already started dating. Maybe he doesn’t know that dry texts make you upset! If you’re getting to know each other, you both have to know what to do to make the other happy. Compliment him when he replies with a long text, and tell him that you prefer that type of text. Try to find a way to communicate that both of you are comfortable with. ^{[9] X Research Source}

“Every time I receive a notification that I have a message from you, I feel happy.”
“I love the messages you send! Talking to you is always interesting.”
“Thank you for texting me every night before going to bed.”

Stop responding if he keeps texting dry.

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In a good text conversation, both must put in equal effort. Short one-word texts or dry replies don’t show interest – and this laziness turns into rudeness if he sends the same text every time. You don’t have to respond when a guy sends you dry texts or doesn’t seem enthusiastic about keeping the conversation going.

Steps