Another day, another hour or so of swiping through your preferred dating app, hoping to connect with someone special. But have you ever wondered, as the profile pics start to become a blur, “How will I know if I’ve actually found a good match?” It’s a very meta question, we know—but it’s a valid one to ask yourself!
Of course there are the personal standards we all have for what we want in a match, staples like physical attractiveness and common interests. We know what we like when we see it!
But what if we told you that there are more subtle signs that you aren’t even aware of prodding you to click “like” or swipe right—unconscious signals that are going off in your brain saying, “This could be the one!” These lil babies are not the loud alerts you instantly recognize; they’re the quiet ones that call to your compatibility and connection receptors.
Want to know what the five unexpected signs you’ve found a match on a dating app? Keep reading to find out!
1. Their Texting Tempo Matches Yours
It sounds corny, but texting chemistry is a real thing, and finding someone whose messaging cadence matches yours is a pleasant surprise in both the real world and online dating. A good text banter means that good communication is forming and sets the stage for mutual respect and interest.
It’s a balance between enthusiasm and patience, indicating there is an understanding of one another’s digital body language. And when your phone dings with a message that comes right when you hoped it would, it’s a small but consequential sign that the connection between you two is probably worth exploring further!
2. They Like Your Idiosyncrasies
There are millions of dating profiles out there, and every one of them is showing you a highlight reel—we aren’t knocking that by any means! But when everyone is only putting their best foot forward, meeting someone who you can be yourself with shouldn’t be ignored.
They won’t just acknowledge your quirks but will actually appreciate your unique traits. This person doesn’t just breeze past your mention of thinking people who put pineapple on pizza are demons in human form (they are); they will get into a playful debate about it. And they don’t just tolerate your rants about why the Roadhouse remake with Jake Gyllenhaal was better than the Patrick Swayze one; they’ll listen to you and tell you you’re insane or you’re absolutely right (I am right). Acceptance, appreciation, and engagement with your idiosyncratic nature show a level of compatibility that goes way beyond any superficial connections.
3. Silences Are Comfortable
We are constantly bombarded with stimuli, so finding someone who is comfortable with silence is a rare thing indeed. It could be a lull in conversation on a phone call where no one is trying to fill the silence with small talk or a quiet moment on a FaceTime call—these silences are peaceful, and no one is wreaking out or panicked about filling them. They represent a solid connection that doesn’t need stimulation or constant noise to validate its existence.
In these calm moments of repose, there’s a common understanding that sometimes, words are not needed. In fact, they’re totally unnecessary.
4. They Remember the Little Things
As the saying goes, the devil is in the details, and this is true for a good match. Remembering and acknowledging the little things isn’t just about memorizing them; that’s easy to do. When you remember them because you are genuinely interested, it’s a lovely sign that you care about the person.
When someone knows what food you absolutely detest and makes you want to barf or lets you know that your fave band is playing in your area and wants to know if you’re going to the concert, it shows they have been paying attention. It’s these small acts of thoughtfulness that build up a foundation for a stronger connection. They are demonstrating a willingness to invest their time and energy to get who you really are, and that speaks volumes!
5. Your Gut Says ‘Yes’
Okay, this one isn’t really unexpected, but we have to mention it because some people don’t always trust their own intuition. But beyond any logic and lists of pros and cons, there’s an instinctive feeling that usually points us toward the right decisions.
So if you find yourself continuously drawn back to someone’s dating profile, not because of their photos but because of their words, listen to that little voice inside of you. This gut feeling is your internal compass, and it is trying to steer you to a match that is worth pursuing. It’s a combination of all the subtle cues your subconscious has picked up on, and it’s telling you, “This feels right.”
Takeaways
Finding a real connection on a dating app isn’t always a walk in the park—it takes patience (sometimes a lot of it), adaptability, and a good ear for the subtle signs that say (in a Southern accent, preferably), “I do declare this is a compatible match.”
It’s about reading between the lines, listening to the unspoken words, and trusting your instincts. These unexpected signs – the matching texting tempos, the appreciation of quirks, the comfort in silence, the attention to detail, and the gut feeling of it feeling right—are the parameters that help us find our way through online dating.
So stay open to the myriad of possibilities—they say love finds us when we aren’t looking for it, backing up that it can arrive in unexpected forms at unexpected times. It could be hidden away in a witty dating bio, shown in a sincere message, or discovered in a comfy, quiet moment.
In the grand scheme of love, every single swipe, every convo, and every date takes you closer to knowing what you really want in a romantic partner—and hopefully finding them!
