How to Respond to Dry Texts Without Looking Desperate
You sent a thoughtful, well-crafted message. They replied with “lol” or “nice.” Now what?
Dry texts are the bane of modern dating. But how you respond to them says a lot — and there’s a way to handle it without looking desperate or giving up too easily. If the conversation keeps stalling, here’s how to keep a conversation going on dating apps.
What counts as a dry text?
A dry text is any reply that gives you almost nothing to work with:
- “lol”
- “nice”
- “yeah”
- “haha”
- “cool”
- “okay”
They’re not necessarily rude — sometimes people are busy, distracted, or just bad at texting. But when it happens consistently, it’s a signal. In some cases, it might even be a dating red flag in texts.
Rule 1: Don’t match their dryness
Responding with “lol” back creates a conversational death spiral. Instead, try pivoting to something specific and easy to respond to.
They say: “nice” Instead of: “yeah” Try: “So are you more of a Friday night out or Friday night in kind of person?”
The key is to give them something concrete to respond to — a question with two options works great.
Rule 2: Don’t over-compensate
The opposite mistake is sending a paragraph to make up for their one word. That creates an energy imbalance that feels desperate.
Keep your replies roughly proportional — just a little more effort than theirs, not ten times more.
Rule 3: Know when to walk away
If someone consistently gives dry replies despite your best efforts, that’s worth paying attention to. You shouldn’t have to carry a conversation alone. Tempted to send a follow-up? Read our double texting rules first.
Using TextVibe for dry text situations
Paste the dry text into TextVibe and select the “witty” or “playful” tone. It’s designed to generate engaging responses that can revive a stalling conversation — without sounding like you’re trying too hard.
Download TextVibe free and never let a dry texter leave you speechless again.