Ghosting is fairly common in the online dating world: You and a potential match messaging back and forth for a few days (or even weeks) when suddenly the other person goes silent. Rather than being mature and straightforward, they just bow out of the conversation sans explanation.
If you get ghosted after just a few messages, there’s no need to respond—move on to someone else who is (hopefully) more upfront about their feelings. But, as the dating stages progress, getting ghosted becomes more and more hurtful. If you’ve been communicating for a while, or even started an in-real-life relationship, you may want to say something to help you get closure. While it’s best for you to not say anything at all, the following scripts allow you to say your piece and move on.
You exchanged messages back and forth with someone and things seemed to be progressing—until they went radio silent. While you don’t need to say anything, since you didn’t meet in person, you might want to officially close the door on this match in order to move on. You could be straightforward, sarcastic, funny, or all of the above:
You went on (what you thought was) a great first date but you haven’t heard back from the person since. While there’s no need to be petty, you may want to be upfront about how you’re feeling if only to let the person know that this kind of behavior indicates more about them than it does about you. Try saying:
If you’ve been ghosted after a few dates, it’s normal to feel confused. Things seemed to be moving along until they abruptly stopped. In this situation, you could consider giving feedback to the person to explain your feelings and what you wish they had done differently, if only to get it off your chest. You could say:
This type of ghosting situation stings the most. You’ve put time and effort into a relationship—not to mention your feelings on the line. While you don’t need to give a long explanation of how you’ve been hurt, you can go a little deeper into detail about how ghosting has affected you. The following responses vary from leaving the door open, and giving the person another chance, to closing the door entirely. Try saying:
Being ghosted feels awful but, unfortunately, it’s part of online dating. The virtual aspect of apps and websites makes it all too easy for people to see potential matches as profiles, not actual people. If you’ve had negative experiences online, or you’re just ready to try something new, consider using a matchmaking service like Tawkify where you can meet people who are less likely to play games—and are more serious about finding a real, lasting connection.