If their texts are mostly "lol", "nice", "haha" or one-word answers, you're probably dealing with dry texting — and the pattern says more than any single message.
Dry texting is when someone's messages are consistently:
A few examples:
On their own, these replies aren't proof of anything. The pattern is what matters — if most of their messages look like this over days or weeks, that's dry texting.
Dry texting doesn't always mean "they hate you". Here are the usual causes.
This is the uncomfortable one, but it's common:
Sometimes it's practical, not personal — a heavy work or study load, family issues, or being around other people and unable to type much.
Some people prefer calls or hanging out in person, see texting as purely functional (confirming plans, sharing info), or just aren't expressive over text.
Early on, some people don't want to seem "too into it", mirror your energy instead of leading, or keep replies short until they're sure you're interested.
Use these questions instead of obsessing over single messages.
A consistent pattern of dry, low-effort messages over weeks means far more than a few off days.
If they're engaged offline but dry online, texting might just be their weak channel. If they're distant everywhere, that's a stronger sign of low interest.
Effort shows up as follow-up questions, sharing details about their day or feelings, and trying to continue the conversation instead of closing it. If almost none of that is present, the likely meaning is: they like the option of you, but not enough to invest.
In a dating or "talking stage" context, dry texting most often maps to one of these:
If you want someone enthusiastic and clear, consistent dry texting is usually a mismatch — even if they're not intentionally hurting you.
Dry replies are also one of the clearest forms of mixed signals over text, especially when they flip between warm and minimal. And if the dryness comes with long gaps, read why she replies late too — short replies plus slow replies together say a lot.
Instead of guessing from a few screenshots, TruthScan analyzes the whole chat and looks for patterns like these.
Average message length from each person, the ratio of one-word answers to multi-sentence messages, and the use of specifics (names, places, feelings) versus generic filler. A chat where one side is consistently short and vague shows up as low effort on that side.
Who asks more questions, and are they open ("How did that make you feel?") or closed? If almost every question comes from you and they rarely ask anything back, that's a strong dry-texting signal.
Who starts most conversations, who tries to keep a dying topic alive, and who suggests plans. Dry texters often rarely initiate, let threads die, and reply minimally even when you try to go deeper.
Rather than just saying "they're dry", TruthScan gives you an Interest Signal (how engaged they seem overall), and a Trust Risk score (whether their behaviour matches their words — for example saying "I really like talking to you" but never asking about you). That turns a vague feeling into something concrete you can act on.
If you're tired of carrying the conversation, stop over-texting and let some threads die. See if they notice and reach out. If they don't, you've got your answer — they're comfortable with low contact, and you can decide if that works for you.
If you'd rather know where you stand:
Their response (or non-response) tells you a lot. People who care will at least try to explain or adjust.
If they're bad at texting but seem interested, suggest a call or voice note, move to in-person sooner, and use text mainly for logistics. If they resist every channel and stay low-effort everywhere, that's a clear sign to redirect your energy.
But context matters. If they have energy for others — social media, group chats, friends — but not for you, that's more likely about their interest level than their general style.