When a guy who was previously keen to message you suddenly stops responding, it can make you wonder if something’s up. Since you can see he’s read your messages, it’s not as though there’s something wrong with his phone. Is he really that busy? Or did you say something wrong? If you’re questioning “he left me on read, why?” here are some common reasons why guys do this.
Depending how long he’s left you on read, there can be various reasons as to why he hasn’t texted back.
Reason 1. He’s genuinely busy
Everyone goes through periods when they are simply too busy focusing on the tasks at hand to reply promptly to messages from the people in their life. Things like work, hobbies or even life events like relocation can be very time-consuming. If you know that this guy is especially busy at present then that’s the most likely reason as to why he left you on read.
Reason 2. He doesn’t know how to answer you yet
Was your last message a question? Were you asking him to meet up? Or trying to learn more about his views on a topic? It could be that he’s not exactly sure how to answer you yet. If you were trying to make plans, he may not know whether he’s free to meet you. Or, he may be unsure if what you are suggesting is something he (or the two of you) would enjoy. It could be that he’s thinking of an even better idea.
If you were asking him an open-ended question to get to know him better or learn about his opinion on something, he may be wondering how best to reply you. For example, if you were asking whether he’d want to hang out with your friends some time and this is something new for him, he may need more time. Or, if you were discussing something serious like his future plans, he might not feel totally comfortable explaining this over text.
Reason 3. He didn’t realize your message required an answer
It’s possible that he left you on read because he didn’t think it was necessary to respond to your last message. If you were chatting casually without any intention, he may have just assumed that the conversation had ended. For example:
Girl: How’s your day been?
Guy: Yeah pretty good! Managed to squeeze in a quick gym session at lunchtime. How about you?
Girl: Oh cool, I should try and do that more often. I don’t goto the gym often enough.
Guy: It’s a bit of a rush but I think worth it. You do feel better afterwards.
Girl: Yeah I should make more effort.
As you can see, the conversation here is very casual and basically small talk. There’s no real need for the guy to continue the conversation as it’s not really going anywhere. Unless he’s in a mood to chat or has free time, many guys in this situation would simply leave the girl on read until the next time he feels like chatting.
Reason 4. He’s not that into you
Maybe you feel that there’s logical no reason as to why this guy should stop responding to your messages. You know that he’s not super busy and there’s nothing wrong with his phone. Perhaps the relationship has been going quite well up until now and you suspect that him leaving you on read has a deeper meaning. It’s possible that he left you on read because he is just not that interested anymore.
Remember that a guy will not make effort to respond you promptly unless he is interested. If he’s very keen, he will want to stay in touch. Men are wired to pursue the person that they want. If he liked you a lot, he would not want to lose you. It’s as simple as that.
Reason 5. He’s hungover
Many people will agree that after a night of heavy drinking, the next day is usually a bit of a write off. Even getting out of bed can be a struggle, let alone going to work or meeting up with people. Responding to all the messages that have accumulated on one’s phone can seem like an effort. If you know he’s been out partying last night, he may be a. sleeping b. hungover and c. not in the mood to go through his messages.
Reason 6. He’s with his friends
When men hang out with their guy friends, they are often in a completely different zone. Whether they’re catching up over beers, watching football, playing sports or video games, they’ll probably be completely occupied with ‘bro-time.’ Men often look forward to spending time with guy friends as they can let loose and do things that they can’t do around girls or family. If he’s hanging out with his buddies and has left you on read, he’s probably just busy enjoying their company.
Reason 7. He’s upset about something
Is it possible that he’s not replied you because he’s upset about something? Him leaving you on read may be him giving you the silent treatment. If the two of you have recently had any conflict, he may still be unhappy about something.
Reason 8. He needs space
If you feel that this guy has recently shown signs that he’s pulling away, he may need some space. He may feel that you’re messaging too frequently. By leaving you on read, he’s controlling the pace of the relationship and sending you a message to back off a bit. If he’s still interested, he will get back to you in his own time.
Reason 9. He doesn’t have reception
If he’s left you on read for only a few hours, there’s no reason to think too much into it. It’s possible that he’s somewhere that doesn’t have good phone reception e.g. public transport. If there’s no other reason for him not responding and you’re expecting a reply, he’ll get back to you once his phone has decent signal.
Reason 10. He’s in the process of ghosting you
Unfortunately, it’s possible that he left you on read because he wants to ghost you. A guy who’s left you on read after several messages is not keen on the relationship. If it’s been over a week since he’s replied, it’s hard to say that he’s interested at all. By not replying for such a long time, he’s hoping you’ll get the message and stop reaching out.
Related: “He Said He Liked Me Then Ghosted Me.” 3 Reasons Why Guys Do This.
Reason 11. He’s not that chatty over text
If this guy tends to leave you on read but his actions otherwise show that he’s into you e.g. he is keen to make plans then it could be that the two of you have different communication styles. Just because you’re someone that can chat all day on Whatsapp, it doesn’t mean that he feels the same way. Some guys are simply not that chatty over text messages and may prefer real-life interactions.
Reason 12. He’s seeing someone else
If you have doubts about whether this guy is seeing only you, it’s possible that he’s leaving you on read because he’s involved with someone else. Juggling two (or more) relationships takes a lot of effort. Dating different people can be time-consuming. He may be dividing his time between you and other people and, as a result, is taking his time to reply to you.
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