Having bad experiences in love can really get you down, and if you have enough of them, you might even stop believing that real love exists altogether.
It’s out there, of course, but it’s hard not to become jaded and lose faith when things never quite seem to work out. Sadly, it’s obvious when someone has written off love entirely, especially because it comes through in everything they say. Here are some of the things you’ll hear come out of the mouth of someone who thinks love is absolute rubbish.
1. “Love just isn’t worth the headache anymore.”
This one tends to come up after a string of bad dates or messy breakups. Usually followed by stories about emotional exhaustion and dating burnout. When someone’s drained from putting themselves out there only to end up disappointed, this becomes their go-to response to any conversation about relationships.
2. “People are just on dating apps for attention anyway.”
You might hear this one during conversations about online dating experiences. Between the matches that never message back and endless small talk that goes nowhere, dating apps become an easy target. The frustration of superficial connections and ghosting turns into a blanket statement about everyone’s intentions.
3. “Why bother? Everyone’s talking to multiple people these days.”
This captures the exhaustion with modern dating culture. Text messages left on read and dates that fade into nothing fuel their perspective. When competition feels constant and loyalty seems rare, this becomes the default response to any suggestion of getting serious with someone.
4. “Relationships are basically just roommates with extra steps.”
Often said while watching coupled friends navigate their daily routines, this observation comes from seeing relationships settle into comfortable patterns. When the excitement fades into Netflix queues and takeaway orders, this becomes a way to justify staying single.
5. “I’m done playing these games. I’m too old for this.”
This is a declaration made after dealing with mixed signals or unclear intentions. Dating starts feeling like a strategic chess match rather than a genuine connection. The emotional energy required to decode someone’s behaviour becomes too much, leading to this frustrated conclusion.
6. “You know they’re still talking to their ex, right?”
Typically, it’s one of those sceptical comments that come up when friends start dating someone new. Social media stalking often reveals ongoing connections with exes. Past experiences with being the backup plan or dealing with unresolved past relationships make this suspicion common among dating circles.
7. “It’s not even worth deleting my dating apps anymore.”
The cycle of downloading and deleting dating apps becomes a running joke. After each disappointing experience, the apps get deleted in frustration. But loneliness or boredom leads to reinstalling them, only to face the same issues. The cycle becomes so predictable that keeping the apps feels like admitting defeat.
8. “Just wait until you see who they really are.”
This is usually a warning that comes from friends who’ve been burned before. Sweet beginnings that turned sour leave lasting impressions. The honeymoon phase starts looking like a mask that eventually has to drop. It comes up, especially when someone seems too good to be true.
9. “Marriage? In this economy?”
Financial stress adds another layer to relationship scepticism. Between student loans, rising rent, and unstable job markets, commitment feels like a luxury. The idea of merging lives and finances becomes another reason to stay uncommitted. It’s a practical excuse that often masks deeper fears about long-term relationships.
10. “Must be nice to still believe in that stuff.”
This is a pretty dismissive response to friends who still get excited about dating. Optimism about love starts looking like naivety. Those who’ve given up often view hope as something you grow out of, like believing in Santa. Oh yeah, and it usually comes with a knowing smirk and a head shake.
11. “I’d rather focus on my career right now.”
Work becomes a convenient shield against vulnerability. Career goals provide a socially acceptable reason to avoid dating. When professional success feels more controllable than emotional connections, this becomes the go-to explanation for staying single.
12. “We’re just hanging out. Labels complicate everything.”
Commitment avoidance hides behind casual language for many people. Defining the relationship becomes something to dodge rather than discuss. The fear of expectations and potential disappointment leads to keeping things purposely vague. You tend to hear this one when someone’s avoiding emotional investment.
13. “Everyone’s got a wandering eye eventually.”
Trust issues surface in comments about loyalty, and past betrayals make faithfulness seem impossible. Whether from personal experience or watching other people’s relationships fall apart, this cynical view becomes a way to justify keeping emotional distance.
14. “It’s different now. Nobody stays together anymore.”
Modern relationships get blamed for changing expectations. Between social media, dating apps, and constant connectivity, traditional commitment starts looking outdated. This phrase often follows news of another couple breaking up or getting divorced.
15. “I’m just not built for relationships anymore.”
Self-diagnosis becomes a way to avoid trying again for those who have no faith in love anymore. After enough disappointments, being alone starts feeling like a personality trait rather than a circumstance. This usually comes after watching another potential connection fizzle out.
16. “I’ve got my dog — that’s all I need.”
Pets become emotional substitutes for romantic connections in the jaded person’s world. The unconditional love of animals feels safer than risking heartbreak with humans. The comparison between pet relationships and human ones reveals how much easier it feels to love something that can’t reject you.
