How to Respond to Pick Up Lines

Co-authored by Lisa Shield and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: September 3, 2021 References

Pick up lines are cheesy one liners that people usually use to break the ice with strangers. However, they can be annoying and unwanted, especially if you hear them often. If you are dealing with pick up lines day after day, you might be wondering how to respond. You can use tactics like ignoring pick up lines, using an anti-pick up line or snappy comeback, and saying "no" to confidently reply every time and shut down any terrible one liners.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Pretending Not to Hear

1
Ask them to repeat what they said to embarrass them. Usually, if a person just told you a pick up line and you say “what?” or, “I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” they’ll be too embarrassed to say their line again. This works the best in a crowd of people where many others can hear you and the person who said the pick up line.^{[1]
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- If the person who said the pick up line does not get embarrassed easily, this tactic might not work as well.
2
Don’t acknowledge them at all if you can’t think of anything to say. If you don’t like someone’s pick up line and you can’t think of anything to say back, just don’t acknowledge them. This tactic works best when you are walking somewhere and not stuck in one place. If you are wearing headphones or earbuds, you can even pretend that you didn’t hear them say the pick up line at all.^{[2]
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3
Walk away from the situation if you feel uncomfortable. If a pick up line makes you feel uncomfortable or threatened, you can always remove yourself from the area. This should get the message across to the person that used the pick up line that their advances are unwanted.^{[3]
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- If you ever feel unsafe or like you might be in danger, contact your local authorities right away.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Thinking of a Comeback

1
Use an anti-pick up line to respond sassily. Anti pick up lines are great for when you’d like to use someone’s pick up line against them. You can shut down someone’s advances while still using the theme of their original line.^{[4]
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Research source} For example:
- "Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?”
  - "No, but it did when I crawled out of hell.”
- "Can I have your name?”
  - "Why? Don’t you already have one?”
- Many websites, like https://www.antipickupline.com, have lists of pick up lines and witty comebacks to go along with them.
2
Tell their pick up line back to them to discourage them. Often, people won’t know how terrible their pick up line sounds until it is told right back to them. Pick up lines are usually impersonal and you can probably use their line to pick them up, even if they say it to you first. If you repeat exactly what they said back to them, it might embarrass them enough to ask for a second chance, or even apologize.^{[5]
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- This method can sometimes encourage the person who said the pick up line, so don’t use it if you actually don’t want to talk to them.
3
Say no if their cheesy pick up line is a question. Sometimes, a simple "no" or "no thank you" is all that’s needed to get your message across. People using pick up lines are usually trying to get you to talk to them, so if you reply "no" to their line immediately, it might stop them in their tracks. This works best if their pick up line is a question, but saying no to any pick up line will give them the same idea.^{[6]
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4
Ask them to try again without a pick up line if you're interested in talking to them. Cheesy pick up lines are usually used by people who are nervous and want to talk to you but don't know how. If you do want to talk to the person who told you a pick up line, but you’d like them to just speak to you normally, say something like, “Sorry, I don’t like pick up lines. Do you want to just say hello to me instead?”^{[7]
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- If the person using the pick up line was genuinely trying to get to know you, they might even appreciate this conversation opener.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Lisa Shield
  Dating Coach
  Expert Interview. 11 March 2021}