Best Icebreakers for Online Dating that Work (Examples + Tips)
Key Takeaways
- While icebreakers are important in any relationship, they’re down-right elemental in online dating, where physical contact is not available, and the emotional connection is fragile.
- The most popular catchy phrases people use have to do with likes and dislikes: you can ask a person whether they are a coffee or a tea person, what their favorite movie is, etc.
- Another great option is to enquire about the past: first pet, first job, weirdest childhood memory.
- You can also ask a person to choose between things to get to know them better or play a game like truth or dare.
- Whatever you choose, remember that humor helps in any situation, and open-ended questions show your interest in the person.
The first message you send when online dating can make or break the first impression on you. If your best opener is ‘Hey, how’s your day going?’ then you definitely need help, as your chat can easily go downhill.
We understand that coming up with a hit text is not easy, which is why we gathered the best icebreaker questions and tips for a catchy online dating profile that will help you get the desired response. Learn how to start a dating app conversation like a pro with our tips and examples.
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40 ice-breaker questions that guarantee a response back on dating apps
When you haven’t seen a person in real life, and you know nothing about their tastes and preferences, writing messages can be quite a challenge. But don’t worry, we gathered some effective icebreakers that will help you stand out from other members of the online dating community.
So here they come:
About tastes and fears
- What’s your biggest fear, snakes, spiders, or social awkwardness? For me, the last one wins.
- Movie genre that you absolutely hate?
- What makes you cringe always and under any circumstances?
- You can save just one movie from the collection of all movies ever made. What will it be?
- Are you a coffee or tea person?
- If you could eat only one thing for your entire life, what would it be?
About feelings, life, and the past
- What seemed to be the best things about adulthood when you were a child?
- What’s your actual dream job from childhood?
- What’s the weirdest meal you’ve ever eaten in your life?
- What was your favorite CD? I just went crazy about …
- I’m really interested if you could only listen to one band for the rest of your life, what would it be?
- What are the top 3 things on your bucket list?
- What’s your weird hidden talent no one knows about?
- What’s your first online nickname ever? If you tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine.
Choices
- You have a 3-day weekend. Mountains, beach, and cocktails, or just good sleep and Netflix?
- Who’ll be a movie star to play you in your biopic?
- If you could buy anything this year, what would it be?
- You can have only 3 apps on your phone, what would they be?
- What’s the only emoji you’d save if others were deleted for good?
- A spontaneous weekend or a carefully planned trip?
- Pineapples on pizza? And yes, there is a right answer
- I noticed you are a Potterhead. Which house are you in?
Game
- Tell me your craziest travel story, and I’ll tell you mine.
- Zombie apocalypse is coming, how will you prepare?
- Let’s play two truths and lie. You go first and then my turn.
- Wanna play? Describe yourself using emojis – 😂🍕💯🍻💃🏼
Creative questions
- How long do you think you’d last in the Squid Game?
- If you could go back in time, what would be the only thing that you’ve said to your younger self and is it somehow related to Bitcoin?
- Tomorrow you can do literally anything. What’s the first thing that comes to mind?
- Let’s say I invite you to my podcast, and you choose the topic. What will we discuss?
- If you wrote an autobiography, how would it be titled?
- What’s your perfect retirement scenario?
- You can participate in any reality show. What will you choose?
- You look like someone famous. Can you help me to guess who this celebrity is?
- Rank 5 best vacation destinations you’ve been to.
- What would you do first if you were in a man/woman body for a week?
Dangerous but working flirting
- Your dog is a heart-stealer. What’s their name? You’re also cute, BTW.
- What’s the worst thing anyone wrote to you here?
- I know your guilty pleasure…chatting with hot girls/guys.
- Do you share food? Or we’ll order extra fries on our first date?
As you can see, good ice-breaker questions are a mix of humor and something specific that is based on the person’s interests.
Also, these conversation starters don’t just break the ice but open the way to follow-up questions and keep the convo going.
Continue reading to see the reveal of pro tips on creating the best icebreakers for online dating.
5 Tips on online dating icebreakers
Regardless of whether you are looking for a Tinder date or approaching someone on Instagram or a dating site, our 5 pro online relationship advice will help you get a reply. So let’s learn how to make icebreaker questions that work.
1. Make them laugh
Approaching someone new can be a bit awkward, and nothing helps to break the ice than a good joke, not the one from a daily newsletter. Opening up your conversation with something fun is the best way to do that, as you stand out from others as well as demonstrate your amazing sense of humor.
In fact, starting with a funny story is a good idea, as it’s scientifically proven that funny people are often seen as more attractive. But in terms of gender, men usually get a bigger interest in their sense of humor than women, who make guys smile. Jokes can help you make a more memorable conversation entrance than a basic ‘How are you doing?’.
Also, there is no need to come up with a new joke every time, and no one will know if you have a few killer lines up your sleeve.
2. Use open-ended questions
Using online dating icebreakers can help you score a first and even second date. Modern people are busy, and they tend to skip and move on to new candidates if the conversation feels too generic. To avoid this, your goal should be to make your chat engaging.
So you have to ask questions based on related topics and put the ball in the other person’s court straight away. Most people love to talk about their passions and will be happy to chat about something interesting.
3. Suggest a game
Another way of making messages engaging is to offer a fun game. Even though the point of online dating is not to find a best friend to spend free time with, it doesn’t mean you can cross off games. One of the easiest icebreaker games is 20 Questions or Two Truths and One Line.
But if you have a more flirtatious dynamic, you can offer to play something more romantic, like guessing a body part by a photo. It will also help you get to know each other’s physical appearance too.
Also, remember that it’s okay to start light. There is no need to dive into deep topics like kids and marriage. Don’t push serious topics right away, even if both of you are seeking love for life.
4. Make it personal
Explaining why you pick a certain person to talk to is also among the good icebreakers for online dating.
- Do you like the same film?
- Are you both into dogs?
- Or are you two-night owls?
Benefit from the information you can find on the website profile and write about it to your potential date. Notice the little things they say, as you can also use it to keep the chat going and flowing naturally.
5. Start with the fav topic in the world—food
Food is probably the universal topic for chatting and can be used as one of the great icebreakers for online dating. Everybody loves food, and most people love to share opinions. So writing something like ‘What’s your favorite guilty pleasure snack?‘ is a nice way to attract a match.
Besides, it can be a win-win, as if you know that your potential date loves Italian cuisine since you can pick a nice place to go out on your first date.
🎁 Bonus advice for online dating profile
You can use the best online dating icebreakers not only to impress your match but also in your headline or bio sections of the profile. Why should you do that? On average, people spend only 6 seconds on a new profile, which makes an open question a good chat starter if someone wants to approach you first.
Online dating is fun but not always easy. Using funny online dating icebreakers can help you make a good first impression and not get lost in the other messages in the inbox. Whenever you start with a joke or a quirky question, your match will appreciate that you approached first and put effort into writing something creative.
Conclusion
Mastering online conversation skills will help you connect to a person you like faster and not be left on read. Now you know serious and funny icebreakers as well as how to earn some bonus points, so you are armed to impress your matches online.
FAQ
Open-ended questions are good icebreakers for online dating, especially if you tailor them to the lady’s profile. It shows you’re interested enough to read and remember what she has to say, and a question is an invitation to share more, which most women appreciate.
We recommend using icebreaker questions for dating online. You can supplement them with a funny story that highlights the interests or experiences you have in common with the woman you’re reaching out to. Besides, questions are the best way to engage her in a conversation, unlike typical compliments.
Unfortunately, most foreign women are not fluent in English, even if they can chat with you using a translator. And most cheesy lines are based either on puns that don’t translate well or on cultural norms foreign ladies may not be familiar with. As a result, you shouldn’t expect cheesy icebreakers to work on international online dating sites.
Before using a funny icebreaker for online dating, ensure the lady understands English and American culture well enough to take it the right way. Unfortunately, some jokes don’t translate well and can insult people of other cultures. We recommend using jokes you are sure will be understood and well-received. When unsure, stick to serious icebreakers.