Ghost stories are scary, but being ghosted by someone you’ve been chatting with regularly? That’s arguably even more terrifying. If you’ve dated since texting became a thing, you’ve probably been ghosted at least once or twice, and you know it doesn’t feel good. Everyone responds to the heartache of being ghosted a little bit differently, and astrology can give you some insight into how someone may react when this happens to them.
Having a relationship end abruptly can be destabilizing and painful, even if it was short-lived. But not knowing why you’re no longer hearing back from someone is especially confusing, which is why ghosting can be so difficult to get over. It’s easy to fill the void of being left on delivered with your own fears and ruminations. What did I do wrong? Is there something I can say that’ll make them respond? Did they maybe get really busy and not realize they hadn’t replied to me? Ultimately, being ghosted reflects much more on the person doing the disappearing act rather than the person waiting for a reply — but that doesn’t make it any less difficult when you’re on the receiving end of a sudden stint of silence.
Every relationship has its own unique set of circumstances, so no one ghosting scenario is the same as another. However, some people respond to this sort of treatment predictably, especially if they share similar astrological markers. Here’s how each zodiac sign reacts to being ghosted.
Aries (March 21 - April 19)
Send Some Sass
Aries have hot tempers and can be quite impulsive when they’re in their feelings. So if they suspect they’re being ghosted, they may not be able to resist firing off a sassy text to give that person a piece of their mind. And while some people might regret losing their cool on a ghoster, Aries will simply feel better knowing they let off some steam.
Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
Block Them
Tauruses do not have time for anyone’s BS, so they’re not afraid to hit the block button if someone ghosts them. Even if they don’t expect to hear from the person again, they’ll sleep better knowing that if their ex reaches out they’ll see the dreaded green text — and Taurus won’t be tempted to waste their energy on them again, either.
Gemini (May 21 - June 20)
Subtweet
Communication-forward Geminis aren’t afraid to double-text, but once they realize they’re actually being ghosted, they may very well take their chattiness to a more public forum. Expect some subtle (or not-so-subtle) Instagram stories or Tweets that allow them to vent their frustrations — and perhaps air some dirty laundry about the ghoster.
Cancer (June 21 - July 22)
Pine In Silence
Cancers are super sensitive, so it can be hard for them to move on from someone who vanished from their life without explanation. These nostalgic water signs tend to dwell on things and romanticize the past, so if they get ghosted, they tend to pine over the person for quite a while before letting go.
Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22)
Post Some Thirst Traps
Getting ghosted can do a number on anyone’s ego, but when a Leo feels like someone’s stung their self-worth, they get even by stealing the show. If someone leaves a cosmic lion on read, expect to see some of their sexiest selfies on their Instagram story. You know, just in case the ghoster in question might be peeping.
Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22)
Vent To Friends
Virgos are practical-minded earth signs, so they like to make as much sense of their feelings as possible. Because being ghosted feels so confusing and hurtful, there’s a lot to work out if it happens to them — and talking things through with trusted friends is one of the ways they move past things. They just need a few days and a safe space to vent.
Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22)
Find A New Crush
Libras love the thrill of romance, so getting ghosted definitely hurts. But this flirty air sign’s preferred method of moving on from someone is to find someone new to give them some attention. After being ghosted, Libras will have a new crush in no time — even if it’s just to distract them from the person who left them on read.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21)
Hold A Grudge
Scorpios don’t take it well when someone crosses them, so when they get ghosted, they’ll be sending energetic daggers in that person’s direction for the rest of time. Don’t expect to ever hear from them again — they have way too much pride to double-text someone if they suspect they’ll be left on delivered. But do expect to remain on their sh*t list indefinitely.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)
Reach Out Months Later
Sagittarians aren’t the type to hold grudges for very long, so if they get ghosted, they’ll probably wind up moving on to something else pretty fast and forgetting all about it. And because they’re quick to forgive and forget they usually have no qualms about reaching out to their ghoster down the road with a “you up?” or just to check-in.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)
Get Productive
Capricorns are more sensitive than they let on, so getting ghosted can really hurt. But they’re not the type to wallow in their sadness for very long. Capricorns will distract themselves from the sting of ghosting by getting super productive and working through that energy in other ways — such as by hitting the gym or putting in some extra effort at their job.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18)
Wait It Out
Far-out Aquarians are notorious for being a bit aloof and the “black cat” in relationships, so they might find that they’re usually ghosting people, intentionally or not. And while being ghosted never feels good, Aquarius people are fine to simply wait it out and not get too worked up about it. Don’t expect pining or emotional texts begging for an explanation.
Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20)
Share Their Feelings
Pisces have a lot of feelings, and they’re not afraid to wear their hearts on their sleeve. So if someone ghosts them, they may very well put their emotions into words via text message and explain exactly how the ghoster’s vanishing act affected them. It’s a bit easier for them to let things go knowing they got their truth off their chest.
Nina Kahn is Bustle’s resident astrologer and tarot reader.
