Bad Pick Up Lines: How to Not

Choose your pick up lines wisely

Pick up lines can be a fun and flirty way to approach someone you’re interested in, but when handled wrongly, it could be a total disaster. In fact, some pick up lines are downright cringey, offensive, or just plain awful. This is a dedicated post to serve as a guide to NOT become that disaster, and as a bonus, how to handle them when you happen to see one.

What makes a pick up line BAD?
  • It’s unoriginal – If the pick up line is something you’ve heard a million times before, it’s probably not going to be very effective.
  • It’s insulting – If the pick up line objectifies you or insults you in any way, it’s definitely a bad pick up line.
  • It’s overly cheesy – Cheesy pick up lines can be cute and endearing in some contexts, but if the line is too cheesy, it can come off as insincere or even creepy.

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At worst, they can make the person hearing them feel uncomfortable, objectified, or insulted. Some examples of bad pick up lines you should definitely avoid include :

  • “Your breasts remind me of Mount Rushmore — my face should be among them.”
  • “I don’t think I want babies, but I wouldn’t mind refining my baby-making technique with you.”
  • “Do you like bacon? Wanna strip?”
  • “Hey, I’m looking for treasure. Can I look around your chest?”

If these aren’t enough, here are more examples that are just…. awful.

Now you might wonder, what should you do if you hear a bad pick up line? Here are some options:

  • Ignore it: If the pick up line is particularly bad or offensive, you may just want to ignore it and move on.
  • Shut it down: If you feel comfortable, you can shut down the pick up line with a firm but polite response. For example, if someone says “Do you have a map? I keep getting lost in your eyes,” you could respond with something like “Sorry, that line doesn’t really work on me. Nice try though!” This response sets a clear boundary, while still acknowledging the person’s attempt to start a conversation.
  • Play along: If the pick up line is cheesy but harmless, you could play along and respond with a cheesy pick up line of your own. For example, if someone says “Are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the only ten I see,” you could respond with “Well, I must be from the moon, because I’m over the moon for you.”

Knowing how to spot them and respond to them can help you navigate the dating world with confidence and grace, and not let yourself be one of the weirdo who sends awful pick up lines and cringe people off.

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