How to Ignore a Guy

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: May 29, 2022 References

When done correctly, ignoring a guy is a powerful way to show that you’re not affected by him. It’s a technique that comes in handy when you’re feeling hurt or ignored yourself and need some time away from him, but be careful when ignoring a guy that you’re interested in—it could backfire and chase him away. If you know ignoring is the way to go, using subtle body language cues and speaking coolly and politely are the best ways to and show him that he’s not important to you.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Ignoring Him Through Body Language

1
Avoid making eye contact with him. Catching a guy’s eyes can come across as interest or a desire to talk, so you can give off the opposite vibe by avoiding eye contact as much as you can. If you don’t want to make it obvious, you can glance at him when he addresses you, but look away again as soon as you can. For the most effective ignoring technique, act like he doesn’t exist and try not to even look in his direction.^{[1]
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- If you’re interested in him, you can take quick glances out of the corners of your eyes to see what he’s doing or whether he’s looking at you.
2
Close off your body when he’s around. Body language sends unspoken signals to other people, and is an effective way to show that you’re not interested in talking to or even acknowledging a guy. Don’t change your body language too obviously, though. Stay relaxed and act natural to show that he doesn’t affect you, using only subtle physical cues.^{[2]
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Disinterested Body Language

Cross your arms and legs.

Tilt your body away from him.

Angle your feet and body towards the door.

Keep your hands and arms still. Fidgeting is a sign of discomfort, and could make him think you notice him.^{[3]
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3
Move away when he’s around, or avoid places where he hangs out. If he enters a room, casually move to the opposite corner. If you know he likes to eat lunch in a certain spot, or sits in a particular place at school or work, go there as little as possible. Keeping your distance prevents you from coming into direct contact, which makes it easy to ignore him.
- Don’t make it too obvious. Immediately turning around and walking away the moment you see him shows that you notice his presence, and are affected by it. Instead, continue your work or conversation, then use an excuse to move away, such as talking to another person or throwing something in the trash.
4
Keep your face expressionless if he tries to talk to you. If you end up near each other and he tries to start a conversation, you can still ignore him with a few subtle physical cues. Keep your facial expression blank and uninterested, and glance around the room to show that you’re not listening. You can also raise your eyebrows, which is a sign of dislike and shows that you want him to go away.^{[4]
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- If you have trouble keeping your face blank, try to let yourself zone out or think of something else when he’s talking to you. If you notice yourself starting to make an expression, try to relax your facial muscles and look away.
5
Act normal and busy when he walks into the room. One of the most effective ways to ignore a guy is to simply act completely normal when he’s around. Continue doing whatever you doing before he walked in the room, keeping busy to show him that you aren’t affected by his presence at all.^{[5]
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- Talk to your friends, bend over your desk and work, or focus on your food if you’re eating. Return your focus to whatever you’re doing to show that you don’t notice him.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Talking to Him Coldly

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Give him short greetings and answers. Ignoring a guy completely when he tries to talk to you will make you look immature and rude. It also won’t be very effective; he’ll realize right away that you’re ignoring him, which shows that he has some kind of effect on you. Instead, simply get through any conversation as quickly as possible, and without giving him any topics to work with. If you like the guy, give the same short answers but smile and be a little warmer in tone.^{[6]
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Getting Through a Conversation

Say hello to him only if he says hi first.

Give short, cool answers. For example, if he asks about your weekend, say “It was fine.” If he asks how you’re doing, say, “I’m good, thanks.”

Nod or shake your head to any “yes” or “no” questions. You can use short answers like “mhm,” or “I don’t think so.”

Don’t prolong the conversation with small talk. Say what you need to say to be polite or get what you need, then leave.
2
End the conversation quickly with an excuse. If you’re trying to ignore a guy, don’t let the conversations go on forever; you’ll either get more and more uncomfortable or become tempted to start talking back. Instead, come up with a plausible reason to leave. Wait for a lull in the conversation, then excuse yourself politely.

Excuses to Get Out of a Conversation

“I’d better go, my friends are waiting for me over there.”
“I’m actually late to class, I gotta go.”
“I have a meeting in a couple minutes, so I need to run.”
“My ride’s about to get here.”
“I just remembered, I’m meeting someone for coffee down the street. I’d better get going.”
3
Talk to him formally, like an acquaintance rather than someone you know. If you have to make conversation with the guy you’re trying to ignore, be as distant as you can. Be polite but formal and talk in a disinterested voice. Talk to him like you would talk to a stranger or someone you barely know: polite, but indifferent.
- For example, if you work together, you could say things like, “Did you send that email? OK, thanks,” or “Can you get that project finished today?”
4
Reply to his texts with short, delayed responses. You should only text the guy that you’re ignoring if he texts you first and it’s something you need to respond to, like a question. Don’t respond right away, either; wait at least 15 minutes before you write him back to show that he’s not a priority.^{[7]
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- If he texts to ask about homework, for example, wait about 15 minutes and then write, “Yeah, read pages 10-13 and fill out the short answers.”
- Don’t show any unnecessary emotion in your texts. Avoid using emojis, exclamation marks, or question marks.
- If the guy sends you a short, run-of-the-mill text, like “Hey,” or “What’s up?”, don’t feel obligated to respond. If you do want to write back, keep your text just as short: just say, “Hey,” or “nothing much.”
5
Avoid commenting or liking his social media posts. If you want to completely ignore a guy, avoid him on all forms of social media. Stop liking and commenting on his posts or pictures and don’t message him. You can even unfollow him, but if he notices, he’ll know that you went out of your way to do so, which might hint that you’re affected by him.
- Ignoring a guy on social media might not be the best option if you’re interested in him. Instead, try to pique his interest by ignoring him slightly in person and liking his posts online.
- If you’re ignoring a guy because he’s really bothering you, don’t hesitate to unfollow or even block him.

Community Q&A

Question

A boy and I fell out over WhatsApp, and when I'm in lessons, he just stares at me. Why does he do that?

Community Answer

He might have a crush on you, and if he does, he's probably regretting whatever happened that cause you to fall out. If it bothers you, just ask him to stop staring at you.
Question

Does it hurt a man when you ignore him?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

Yes, being ignored can hurt anybody's feelings. So it's important you ignore him only if it's for a good reason. If you do care about him, ignoring him could make him think that you don't like him. However, if you're trying to get a guy to lose interest or to leave you alone, ignoring him can be an effective strategy. There are a few simple ways you can do it, too. You can move away from him when he's around or simply avoid places where he hangs out and you may run into him. You can also ignore his texts, calls, and messages. If you have to respond to him, reply with short, delayed messages. Don't respond right away. Wait at least 15 minutes before you write back to show him that he's not really a priority of yours. If he sends you a text like “Hey,” or “What’s up?”, don’t feel obligated to respond. If you do want to write back, keep your text just as short: just say, “Hey,” or “nothing much.” Eventually, he should take the hint.
Question

How do you ignore a guy over text?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

The most effective way to ignore a guy over text is to simply not respond to his texts at all. But sometimes you may not be able to fully ignore him. You can still send the message that you're not really interested in talking to him by sending short, delayed responses. Only text him if he texts you first, and only respond to texts that ask questions. Wait at least 15 minutes after he messages you to respond so you can send a clear message that he's not really a priority. For instance, if he asks something like "Did you work on that new project?" You can say something short like, "Yes, it's waiting for you to make your changes." Avoid using emojis, exclamation marks, or question marks so you don't add any extra emotion to your messages as well.