Nobody likes rejection.
And being rejected over text by a guy you like can feel like a punch in the gut.
Especially if you didn’t see it coming, it can be disappointing when a guy says he isn’t ready for a relationship or lets you know he doesn’t see a future for the two of you.
On the plus side, receiving a rejection text means that the guy you were seeing has enough decency not to ghost you.
He wants you to have all the information, and he knows he owes you clarity and closure.
So what should you respond when a guy tells you he just isn’t feeling it?
Keep your text short: Thank him for his honesty, say you understand, and let him know there are no hard feelings.
29 ways to respond to a rejection text from a guy
- Ah, that’s disappointing. I have enjoyed getting to know you and thought things were going well. But I understand and I appreciate your honesty.
- I’m sorry you feel that way, but I’m glad you’re letting me know. No hard feelings 😊
- To be honest, I suspected that your feelings for me had changed, so I’m glad that I have clarity about it now.
- I appreciate you being so clear about what you want. And don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you!
- Thanks for being so up front. I’m disappointed of course, but I totally respect your decision.
- I feel a bit blindsided because I thought things were going well, but I appreciate your honesty. No worries and I’m sure we’ll see each other around sometime.
- Thanks for your text. That’s no problem, I’m happy to go our separate ways. All the best for the future.
- I agree that we are missing the magic spark. Thanks for being so straightforward.
- Thanks for being honest. And yes, absolutely, I would love to keep hanging out as friends.
- I feel the same. It was nice getting to know you and I wish you all the best.
- Thank you for being so transparent about your feelings. I agree that we aren’t compatible, but I enjoyed getting to know you and I wish you all the best.
- I appreciate your follow-up text. Thanks for being such a gentleman on the date and for letting me know that you don’t see things going further. I wish you all the best.
- Aw, that’s no problem. It’s a shame we weren’t compatible, but hey! I had a fun evening anyway. Wish you all the best.
- No problem, I agree that we aren’t a good match and that the date was a bit awkward. May we both find what we’re looking for sooner rather than later!
- I’m sorry you feel like that. I really enjoyed the date, but of course I respect your decision and there are no hard feelings whatsoever.
- If nothing else, you’ve helped me work on how I deal with rejection 🤣 But seriously, don’t worry, that’s completely fine.
- No problem 👍
- [Send a funny gif]
- Easy come, easy go 💨
- That’s okay, I swiped right on you by accident anyway 😂
- The feeling is mutual, so no worries.
- That’s all good, I’m also not that interested. I’m glad we both said how we were feeling before we spent the money on a date haha.
- No worries at all. Happy swiping!
- To be honest, I’m annoyed because I feel like you led me on.
- I thought things were going well. What changed?
- I appreciate your honesty, but I feel like you could have been clearer about what you wanted earlier on. I’m upset because I feel like you’ve wasted my time.
- Wow, that came out of nowhere…what happened to all the nice things you said about me?
- What changed your mind?
- I wasn’t expecting that at all. Why are you suddenly not interested in me anymore?
How to respond to a rejection text from a guy you’re dating
How you respond to a rejection text will naturally depend on how well you know the guy who sent it, and how long you have been seeing him.
If you get a rejection text after your first date, you can just send a quick text reassuring him that there’s no problem.
After all, not everyone is going to be interested in everyone else, and the point of a date is to assess whether you are compatible.
However, if you get a rejection text from a guy you’ve been on multiple dates with, you will probably be more hurt, and you may want to express your disappointment. There’s no reason not to let him know that you’re sad things didn’t work out.
That said, the best way to respond to a rejection text from a guy you’re dating is to take a mature approach and reassure him that there are no hard feelings.
Here are a few ways you could respond to a rejection text from a guy you’ve been seeing.
1. Ah, that’s disappointing. I have enjoyed getting to know you and thought things were going well. But I understand and I appreciate your honesty.
The most difficult kind of rejection to deal with is rejection you don’t see coming.
Not only are you left wondering what went wrong, but you might also start to question your ability to read situations.
However, don’t let one person’s feelings about you change how you see yourself.
People change their minds in the early stages of dating all the time, and for any number of reasons.
Don’t lie awake at night wondering whether you said something wrong.
Instead, express your disappointment when you reply so that you get the closure you need. Then, delete this guy’s number and get back out there. There are plenty more fish in the sea.
2. I’m sorry you feel that way, but I’m glad you’re letting me know. No hard feelings 😊
This is a good response to send to a rejection text if you were on the fence about a guy.
If you would have been happy to see where things went but are also not devastated that you won’t see him again, tell him you’re sorry he feels the way he feels but that you appreciate him letting you know.
Finish off by showing him that you won’t hold this against him.
This just ensures that things won’t be awkward if you happen to bump into him again in the future.
3. To be honest, I suspected that your feelings for me had changed, so I’m glad that I have clarity about it now.
If a guy starts being a little weird with you and you can tell he wants to call things off, you can tell him that you picked up on the fact that he was losing interest.
If you’re a proud person, you may gain some satisfaction from making the point that you are a smart girl in terms of dating, and weren’t sitting around oblivious to the fact that he was feeling lukewarm about you.
Saying you’re glad you have clarity about the situation is a good line to add on to any response to a rejection received via text.
4. I appreciate you being so clear about what you want. And don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you!
If you don’t want to address your own feelings when you respond to a rejection text—either because you are pretty disappointed or because your feelings are too complicated to sum up in a quick line—you can leave them out altogether.
Instead, just thank the guy you were seeing for being clear about where he’s at and what he wants.
Then add that you won’t hold his lack of interest in you against him.
5. Thanks for being so up front. I’m disappointed of course, but I totally respect your decision.
You’re not alone if you would rather be responding to a compliment from a guy than figuring out how to navigate the end of a situationship via text message.
Unfortunately, the current dating scene is basically a modern wild west, and we can’t control what it throws at us.
The trick is just to keep our heads above water long enough to finally find a partner who makes us happy, supports us, and regularly says, “I love you so much.”
The best thing to be as a modern dater is humble.
Accept when people aren’t into you and accept that it’s for the best that they’re telling you early on instead of stringing you along pointlessly.
It’s better to tear the band-aid off early on than to realize you were wondering how long to date before marriage while they were trying to figure out how to get out of a date.
6. I feel a bit blindsided because I thought things were going well, but I appreciate your honesty. No worries and I’m sure we’ll see each other around sometime.
If you feel blindsided by a guy telling you he doesn’t want to be with you, tell him how you feel.
You don’t need to pretend you feel fine if you actually think the guy that you were dating gave you false hope.
For example, if a guy sent fire emojis every time you posted a story, or talked about kids and marriage on your third date, you don’t need to pretend you aren’t hurt when he ends things via text.
While you aren’t technically responding to a breakup text if you were never officially with the guy rejecting you, you are still having pretty much the same experience.
To get the closure you need, make sure you express how you’re really feeling about things ending.
7. Thanks for your text. That’s no problem, I’m happy to go our separate ways. All the best for the future.
This is a mature response to a rejection text that would be appropriate in a wide variety of circumstances and contains all the necessary elements of a reply to a guy calling things off.
Thank him for his text, then let him know his decision to end things is no problem for you and that you are happy to leave things where they are.
Then, to emphasize that you aren’t bitter, wish him the best for the future.
8. I agree that we are missing the magic spark. Thanks for being so straightforward.
Sometimes we want a relationship to work so much that we pretend everything is fine when it clearly isn’t.
And compatibility is a funny thing. Everything on paper could be right, but if there aren’t fireworks, it won’t work.
If you have been seeing a guy and agreeing to go when he asks you out because you can’t find anything wrong with him, you may actually be relieved when he pulls the plug, because it means you don’t have to make that call yourself.
If he points out that the two of you just don’t have the magic connection that makes a relationship worth it, then you can tell him you agree and that you appreciate his candor.
9. Thanks for being honest. And yes, absolutely, I would love to keep hanging out as friends.
The most common line in the break-up book is, “Let’s be friends.”
And while some people mean it and other people don’t, it doesn’t hurt to offer an olive branch when you’re breaking up with someone or bringing a dating-ship to an end.
If the guy you’ve been seeing tells you he wants to stop seeing each other romantically but asks if you want to hang out as friends, it is kind to say yes, whether or not you think you’ll actually end up doing it.
10. I feel the same. It was nice getting to know you and I wish you all the best.
If you either want to save face or just genuinely don’t feel like a situation was right, you can respond to a guy telling you he doesn’t think it’s working by telling him you feel the same.
Then, to keep the good will alive, tell him it was nice getting to know him and wish him all the best.
11. Thank you for being so transparent about your feelings. I agree that we aren’t compatible, but I enjoyed getting to know you and I wish you all the best.
This is another mature and measured response to a rejection text.
If a guy you’ve been on several dates with tells you he doesn’t think the two of you are compatible, you can tell him you agree, and then say that you still enjoyed getting to know him.
How to respond to a rejection text from a guy after one date
If you were wondering how to tell if a date went well, one clear and obvious sign is getting a follow-up text later that evening from your date saying they had a lovely time.
However, if you get a follow-up text after your first date and the guy you met up with tells you that, unfortunately, he doesn’t want to pursue things with you, then you just have to lump it.
You might be disappointed, but whatever you do, don’t try to convince someone to date you unless you are ready to always be the person in the relationship who cares more.
Instead, take the high road. If you also weren’t that into the date, let the guy you met up with know that you felt the same as he did, and that you aren’t offended by his decision to call if off.
If you are a little bit sad that things won’t progress, you can also express this.
The main thing is to communicate that you hear and accept his decision.
12. I appreciate your follow-up text. Thanks for being such a gentleman on the date and for letting me know that you don’t see things going further. I wish you all the best.
Whether or not things progress, it is always nice when a guy is a gentleman on a date and treats you with the respect and interest you deserve.
It is also great when a guy tells you what he wants soon after a date so that you aren’t left waiting around wondering whether he liked you and wants to continue seeing you.
If a guy does reach out soon after your first date to tell you he doesn’t see things working out between you, you can thank him for clearly communicating how he is feeling.
13. Aw, that’s no problem. It’s a shame we weren’t compatible, but hey! I had a fun evening anyway. Wish you all the best.
When a guy decides to call things off after a first date, it is a lot less of an emotional ordeal than when a guy you’ve been seeing for a while calls it quits.
A first date is kind of like an interview for a relationship.
We’re all familiar with having an interview and not getting the job, so if things don’t work out after a first date, it isn’t so bad.
However, if you pass the first round of interviews, so-to-speak, and the guy you met up with asks for a second date, you might feel like you have more to lose.
The more time you’ve spent with someone, the more personal it feels if they decide they don’t want to spend time with you.
So, if you’ve only been on one date, make sure you keep your response to a rejection text lighthearted. This example does just that.
14. No problem, I agree that we aren’t compatible and that the date was a bit awkward. May we both find what we’re looking for sooner rather than later!
As much as you might want to not be awkward on a date, when the chemistry isn’t right, it’s hard not to feel like you’ve completely forgotten how to socialize.
If you go on a date and can tell immediately that you two don’t share the same sense of humor, you’ll probably be relieved to get a rejection text a few hours later.
This sample response is a good way to acknowledge that the two of you were never going to work and to express that you aren’t upset that your date is saying no to a second date.
15. I’m sorry you feel like that. I really enjoyed the date, but of course I respect your decision and there are no hard feelings whatsoever.
Just because you’ve only met up once doesn’t mean you have no right to be disappointed when things don’t work out.
To get to the stage at which you’re making and keeping plans with someone, you have to do a fair bit of groundwork.
Whether you met online or IRL, you’ll surely have had a courting and messaging phase during which you probably day-dreamed about your potential relationship (you’re only human, after all).
So when you finally go on a date, think it went great, and then are hit with a rejection text, it’s only logical you would be sad.
This sample response is a good way to react to a guy calling it off after one date if you would have liked to see where things could have gone.
16. If nothing else, you’ve helped me work on how I deal with rejection 🤣But seriously, don’t worry, that’s completely fine.
If you’re the type to make a joke out of everything and use humor as a coping mechanism and to get out of uncomfortable situations, then this is an excellent response to a guy telling you he doesn’t want to go on a second date.
How to respond to a rejection text from a guy on Tinder
A rejection on Tinder is usually a lot less serious than a rejection from someone you’ve actually gone one or more dates with.
After all, Tinder etiquette is so unashamedly bad that many people simply stop responding if they lose interest.
Tinder ghosting is so common that it might almost surprise you to get a text from a guy on Tinder telling you he doesn’t see your chatting relationship going any further.
However, any kind of honest communication is to be encouraged.
If a guy messages you on the app to tell you he’s going to call it a day on the two of you, you can respond with something lighthearted or funny.
Through in an emoji or two to show that you aren’t sensitive enough to be thrown by the end of a Tinder matching.
17. No problem 👍
The thumbs-up emoji is basically the equivalent of “K.”
It’s a way to say, “sure” with a bit of an edge.
This is a great text to send a Tinder match who tells you he’s going to unmatch you, because including the thumbs-up emoji sends the message that you are not upset by his decision, and that, quite frankly, you don’t really care.
18. [Send a funny gif]
Another great way to respond to a rejection message on Tinder is to send a funny gif.
Send a video of someone falling into the abyss, or of someone shutting the door in someone else’s face to get across the funny side of the situation.
If he has a good sense of humor, he’ll appreciate your good-humored response to the situation.
19. Easy come, easy go 💨
Easy come, easy go is an idiom that means that a relationship that developed without effort can be left without regret or hurt.
Adding the wind emoji, to emphasize the fleeting, floating nature of your brief connection adds a healthy dose of humor to this response.
20. That’s okay, I swiped right on you by accident anyway 😂
Whether you actually did swipe right by accident or not, this response is a funny way to reply when a guy whom you have basically just exchanged a few pick-up lines on Tinder with decides to send a formal declaration that he is parting ways with you.
21. The feeling is mutual, so no worries.
If a Tinder match that you aren’t particularly interested in writes to you saying that he doesn’t see a point in continuing to chat, you can keep your reply short and direct.
Saying, “The feel is mutual,” lets him know that you are not actually interested in him.
Then adding a short, “no worries” demonstrates that you aren’t all that disturbed by the end of your brief online dalliance.
22. That’s all good, I’m also not that interested. I’m glad we both said how we were feeling before we spent the money on a date haha.
If you were discussing meeting up with a Tinder match and he says that he doesn’t think you two have that much in common and that it might just be good to leave it, you can tell him that you think he’s making the right call.
Let him know that you aren’t that interested, and then make a joke about how it’s a good thing that you didn’t waste money on a date.
23. No worries at all. Happy swiping!
This is the perfect way to respond if a Tinder match sends you a message saying they actually didn’t mean to swipe right.
These kinds of slip-ups happen to most people on Tinder.
While this might feel like a rejection, don’t take it personally.
People have complicated reasons for choosing to match with the people they do, and it would only be an exhausting waste of time to try to figure out why this guy isn’t into you.
Respond to this situation with an ultra-casual, “No worries at all,” and then wish him “Happy swiping!”
How to respond to a rejection text from a guy if you are hurt
Unfortunately, unlike being turned down by someone whom you only exchanged a few words with on a dating app, being rejected by someone you actually know and like can sting.
If you’re hurt by a guy telling you he isn’t interested in you over text, you don’t have to pretend that everything is fine.
For your own sake, make sure you express what you’re feeling and why.
24. To be honest, I’m annoyed because I feel like you led me on.
If the guy you were seeing gave you false hope about things like how soon you should move in together or just about how strongly he felt about you, you have a right to be annoyed if he texts you to end things out of the blue.
Tell him how you’re feeling so that you can move on without feeling like you never really got the chance to say how his actions affected you.
25. I thought things were going well. What changed?
If you genuinely can’t understand why the guy you were casually dating or were in a situationship with has suddenly changed his tune, ask him what happened.
Tell him you thought things were going well so he understands that you’re really confused.
26. I appreciate your honesty, but I feel like you could have been clearer about what you wanted earlier on. I’m upset because I feel like you’ve wasted my time.
If you feel like a guy has wasted your time, tell him that you wish he had been clearer about his intentions from the start.
Hopefully he’ll learn something for the next girl he dates and will reflect on the consequences of actions.
27. Wow, that came out of nowhere…what happened to all the nice things you said about me?
If a guy you’ve been seeing constantly calls you “baby” and tells you how pretty you look, you could be forgiven for feeling incredibly confused when he suddenly pulls the plug on your whole dating-ship.
Telling him you feel like his decision to end it came out of nowhere will bring it home to him that he has to get better at expressing his emotions.
28. What changed your mind?
If last you heard a guy wanted to build a relationship, and now he doesn’t want to talk to you anymore, you should probably respond to his rejection by asking what has changed his mind.
29. I wasn’t expecting that at all. Why are you suddenly not interested in me anymore?
If you weren’t expecting to be rejected by a guy—let alone rejected in a text message—start your response by communicating how taken aback you are.
Give him the opportunity to explain himself so that you can walk away from the situation with a clear idea of what went down.
Hey, it’s me, Steven. Dating and relationships have always fascinated me. On Dategosu, you will find my best tips to make sure your next date is a great success!