41 Telltale Signs You've Lost Interest In Your Partner

Think about how you feel when your partner is busy and can’t hang out, or when they go away for a week on a trip. Do you miss them? Or do you barely notice they're gone?

Sure, it can be healthy to spend time apart. “But if you find that you no longer miss them, don’t want to be around them, or don’t wonder what they are doing [while they’re away],” Sterling Woods, LCSW, a licensed social worker, tells Bustle, “this could be a sign that your interest has faded.”

If you struggle to remember important conversations — or worse, important dates, like an anniversary — take it as a sign you’ve emotionally left the building, Deborah K. Krevalin, LPC, LMHC, a licensed professional counselor, tells Bustle. This is a change your partner will likely point out, probably once they’ve talked about it for a third time.

If you start to think of your partner as a loving friend instead of someone you’re attracted to, Dr. Jill Murray, a licensed psychotherapist and author, tells Bustle, it’s likely a sign you’ve lost interest.

For example, you might want to spend time together, but when you do there isn’t a “spark” or anything flirty going on.

Of course, not every relationship has to be hot and steamy. “Some couples are perfectly content with a companionship relationship in which they trust and respect the other,” Murray says. But if your thoughts are going elsewhere, you may need to take a step back and figure out what’s going on.

While you can't expect to feel 24/7 butterflies, one of the top signs you’ve lost interest is if you don't feel the “turned on excitement” in your body when you’re around them, Susan Golicic, PhD, a certified relationship coach, tells Bustle. “It may feel like you love them, but are no longer ‘in love’ with them.”

It might be a phase, or it might be the beginning of the end. After all, “it’s difficult to make a committed relationship work when you don’t desire someone,” she says.

“Forgetting to respond to their texts and ignoring them in general is certainly a flashing neon sign,” Susan Trombetti, a matchmaker and CEO of Exclusive Matchmaking, tells Bustle. If you were interested, she says, you wouldn’t be so lackadaisical about communication.

If something goes wrong and you can’t even be bothered to argue your point, chances are you’ve started checking out, marriage counselor Katherine Shorter​, tells Bustle. A lack of desire to “fight” for what you believe in shows you don’t see a future, and thus don’t care anymore about making positive changes.

Remember when you used to go with your partner to the grocery store, just because you wanted to hang out? “The heart of most relationships is that people generally enjoy being with the other person, regardless of what they are doing together,” Heidi McBain, MA, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist, tells Bustle. So, if you’ve noticed a major change in your desire to be around your partner, take a closer look.

Take note if you feel lonely even when your partner is around, as that often points to a lack of connection, Lacarma Minter, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist, tells Bustle. And a lack of connection often stems from a lack of desire to, well, connect.

Every relationship will have boring moments. And every conversation will have a lull. But take it as a sign, Winter says, if you have trouble talking about quality topics, or if it feels like the silence is deafening.

It’s not that you suddenly have nothing in common. It’s just that, if you’re losing interest, you won't feel the desire to dig up interesting topics or pick your partner’s brain for stories.

Pay attention to a lack of communication, as well as a lack of desire to fill your partner in about your day or a happy life update. “A sign of a healthy relationship is communication,” Trombetti says. So if you don’t bother talking — or, if you do talk but it’s always with someone else — you’ve lost interest.

If you find yourself taking up new hobbies left and right in an effort to feel something, it may be a sign the relationship is no longer fulfilling, licensed psychologist Dr. Wyatt Fisher, tells Bustle.

Again, having hobbies and doing things separately is a very good thing. But if it gets to the point where you're constantly booked and busy, Fisher says, it might be because you're seeking novelty due to a lack of interest in your partner.

Another telling sign is if you’ve stopped reaching out to make plans, and instead you wait to hear from your partner and expect them to do all the planning. While it’s true that some people are better at organizing get-togethers than others, Murray says this is also a telltale sign you don’t really want the relationship to go anywhere.

If this is familiar, you may want to find out “whether you and your partner are content with the relationship as is,” or if you’d be happier moving on, per Murray.

Don’t ignore that strong desire to slide into a cute stranger’s DMs. As Stephanie Moir, MA, CRC, LMHC, a licensed counselor, tells Bustle, this is a form of emotional infidelity; one that often points to fading interest.

It could also be a first attempt to move on, she says, as “you may be looking for an emotional connection to replace the connection you had with your partner.”

Are you always thinking about your ex, comparing your current partner to your ex, or wishing you could get back together with your ex? If so, Moir says it’s a clear sign something’s up.

In this situation, it can help to talk to your partner. Fun dates and deep conversations can cure a lot of things, so if you’d like to see if the relationship is salvageable, invest back into it and see if it makes a difference.

It’s OK to look at a friend’s relationship for inspiration, or to acknowledge that they seem really happy. But you shouldn’t feel jealous or size your situation up against theirs.

“Comparing your relationship to other relationships is a red flag,” Moir says. “This can mean you recognize something is missing but are not ready to end things.”

If you were truly interested in your partner, you’d have an eye on the future. You’d think about trips you’d like to take, what your wedding will look like (if that’s something you envision for yourself), and how your relationship might look one, to five, to ten years down the road. So if you look toward the future and don't see them as part of it, it may be best to move on.

While relationships can’t be fun and joke-y all the time, it may point to a lack of interest if you sit around silently and don’t seem to enjoy each other’s company. “Laughter is crucial towards navigating life,” therapist Hillary Schoninger, LCSW, tells Bustle. “How much we are laughing with one another is a good indicator of how much we like one another.”

Another top tier sign you’ve lost interest? Apathy, Krevalin says.

When your partner asks where you want to go to dinner, you say you don’t care. If they ask what movie you’d like to watch, you tell them to put on whatever they want.

Basically, you’re no longer participating in the relationship not out of anger or animosity, but because you truly aren’t into it. And if that’s the case, it’s time to move on.

Something might be up if you used to hug, cuddle, and hold hands, but all of that has completely stopped, Trombetti says. And the same is true if you're no longer interested in being physically intimate with your partner.

“There may be other factors involved,” she says, “but when that person just isn’t sparking you anymore, there can be a decline in intimacy signaling you have lost interest.”

Having deep conversations about your lives, your goals, and your relationship goes a long way in maintaining a strong emotional connection. But if you stop having those conversations, it could lead to a loss of that connection. “Before we lose interest entirely, we begin to lose an emotional connection,” Nancy Landrum, relationship coach and author, tells Bustle.

“For the clients I coach, there’s usually one partner who might be good at taking care of the business side of living together, but not very good at sharing feelings or talking about what’s going on inside the heart. This imbalance in sharing emotional connection causes the other to lose interest.”

Before, you may have called your partner out if they did something that irritated you or felt off. But now, you just don’t have it in you to say anything. If this is the case, there’s a good chance you’ve started to lose interest. According to Lily Ostler, LMSW, a licensed psychotherapist with online therapy resource, Forward in Heels, tells Bustle, complacency and a decrease in certain fights can be very telling. “It can be a sign that you're not interested in your partner and/or are less invested in working on or staying in the relationship,” Ostler says.

When you finally get that promotion you’ve been waiting for, or you got a lot of praise for a project that you worked really hard on, your partner should be the first person you think of to share good news with. If they’re not, this could mean that you’re losing interest. “In relationships and with attachment, sharing those big moments are a huge sign of connection and a desire for intimacy,” Ostler says. “As you begin to pull away from including them in those moments, it can be a sign to explore what is going on.”

It’s completely normal to not have as much sex as you used to. But if you’re not having sex at all, that’s a very telling sign. “People often ignore sex declining or a disinterest in sex,” Ostler says. “Often clients will point to all the attributes of their partner they love and adore, but then it comes out that they don’t want to have sex with their partner anymore. It’s important to notice this shift as physical intimacy can often be a strong sign of connection in a relationship.”

Before, you would feel kind of lonely whenever your partner wanted to spend a Saturday night out with friends. But now, you actually feel a sense of relief when they do. If this is happening in your relationship, Trombetti says it may be a sign that you no longer care to spend time with them like you used to. “You don't want to be alone with them and don't look forward to romantic dinners or evenings like you used to do,” she says.

You may love your partner, but if you find yourself internally cringing every time they try to be affectionate with you, that’s a sign you shouldn’t ignore. This could indicate that the spark has faded in your relationship, Trombetti says. If this is the case, you may have to ask yourself if you still love your partner romantically or just as a friend.

Early on in your relationship you may have stayed up all night chatting, asking each other questions and dreaming about the future. But now, you don’t think you could even name what your partner’s current goals are. According to Elizabeth Earnshaw, licensed marriage and family therapist and author ofI Want This to Work, tells Bustle, “If you aren't being as curious as you used to be, and you've noticed that you never show interest in your partner's day, how they are feeling, or what they are striving for, then you might have begun to lose interest.”

If you’re having a bad day, your partner should be your go-to person for support. But if you’ve started to turn to other people, that may be a telling sign. “While it's healthy to have other relationships with friends and family, your partner should be a primary source of support and connection,” Earnshaw says. “So when you find yourself preferring to connect with everyone but your partner, this might be a sign you've lost interest.”

When you’re really into your partner, you want to spend as much time with them as possible. But if you’ve started to “sabotage” time spent together, you may be checking out. According to Earnshaw, you may do this by frequently canceling date nights or finding something else you “need” to do during downtimes in the evening together.

Sure, you hang out with your partner on your way home from work, but it’s only because you pass their apartment on the way.

You’ve noticed that, unless it’s really convenient, you don’t want to get together. And you’ve definitely dropped the grand gestures, like planning their birthday parties or getting them fun gifts for the holidays.

It’s not uncommon to be on your phone even when you’re hanging out with your partner. But if you’re doing it as a way to avoid talking to them or because the silence is awkward, that may be a sign that your relationship isn’t as interesting to you as it used to be. According to Amber Lee, certified matchmaker and CEO of Select Date Society, flipping through social media while you’re together shows that you don’t prioritize your partner.

Catching up with your other half at the end of the day is an essential part of any relationship. So if you start to feel disinterested during your debrief sessions, you might want to take that as a sign.

“Staying connected to our partner requires that we invest in the small daily moments of their life,” says Jarryd Boyd, certified Life and Relationships coach. “If you’re not curious about what is happening each day, it’s a sign you’re disengaged. A first step towards re-engaging is asking questions like, “What were the best and toughest parts of your day?”

Your partner is supposed to be your biggest supporter in life – and vice versa. If you reach a point where you’re unable to celebrate your partner’s accomplishments, you can expect the relationship to lose the positive energy that keeps it alive, per Boyd. “It’s like there is no cheering when touchdowns happen at a football game,” says the expert.

Nothing helps create and reinforce bonds with another person quite like a shared experience, which is why joint activities can be so crucial for a relationship. When you stop engaging with your partner in this way, however, you’re allowing a gap to form within the relationship and push you farther away from your sweetheart. According to Boyd, this puts a greater emphasis on “me moments,” and takes away from “we moments.” Solo time is healthy, yes — but it shouldn’t be your preferred mode 24/7.

When it comes to new relationships, it’s not long before your partner’s community becomes your own: their loved ones, their pets, religious groups, and maybe even their neighbors and coworkers Even if you’re not that close with their friends and family, the love you have for your partner should be enough to motivate you to spend an afternoon with them every once in a while. Once you start making excuses to skip holiday celebrations and birthday parties, though, consider that a sign.

“As two people come together in a relationship, so do their communities,” Boyd tells Bustle. “When you no longer want to spend time with your partner’s community, you start to separate your worlds and it could be a sign that you’re struggling with making the relationship work long-term.”

Once you’ve moved past the honeymoon phase of a relationship, it’s time to get serious about where this is going (unless, of course, you’d both rather keep things casual). Whether it’s moving in together or getting a jump start on family planning, thinking about taking that next big step in your relationship should fill you with joy and excitement. Anything other than that is worth evaluating.

According to Boyd, feeling indifferent about the future is a good indicator that you’re disinterested in your partner and the “longevity of your relationship,” whereas scared or nervous feelings could mean you’re still interested in your sweetheart and have “other challenges to work through with them.”

Even if words of affirmation aren’t your partner’s preferred way to receive love, it doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy them from time to time. Whether you mean to or not, withholding kind words, genuine compliments, and expressions of gratitude are telltale signs you’re taking your SO for granted.

“When someone notices all the stuff, little and big, that you do every day, it’s an instant mood boost,” says Jeff Guenther, LPC and author of Big Dating Energy: How To Create Lasting Love By Tapping Into Your Authentic Self. “This lack of appreciation can erode the foundation of your relationship, leaving both partners feeling undervalued.”

Another romance essential that goes beyond simply love languages is quality time. Without it, you and your partner can start to drift apart, which could contribute to a loss of interest in the relationship.

“​​Quality time is the lifeblood of healthy, connected relationships,” says Guenther. “If you’re not carving out moments to be fully present with your partner, it can lead to feelings of neglect and isolation. Life is busy! That said, when other activities and responsibilities consistently take precedence, it might be a signal that your relationship is no longer a priority.”

Lovers’ quarrels are by no means a sign of a failing relationship – in fact, arguments can be quite good for couples. Take stock of how you feel after the fact, though, because according to Guenther, your post-fight emotional state can reveal your true feelings about your partner.

“It isn’t about how many fights you get into. It’s about how you patch things up and reconnect afterwards,” Guenther tells Bustle. “If you often leave arguments feeling drained and depleted, and you’re not even trying to find resolutions or understand each other’s perspectives, it’s a sign of deeper issues. Healthy conflict resolution is essential for growth. Without it, resentment and frustration can build.”

Though it may seem like a tired cliché, being best friends with your partner is key for maintaining a lasting relationship. Once that bond fades, it’s only a matter of time before your feelings do, too.

“Strong, enduring relationships hinge on fostering deep friendships,” says Guenther. “This involves not just understanding but engaging with each other’s worlds. If you don’t count your partner as a top five friend anymore, you may have lost an important part of your relationship. Reconnecting as friends is crucial for maintaining the emotional intimacy that supports a lasting partnership.”

Your partner isn’t always going to be able to meet all your needs, and that’s OK – that’s what friends are for! But according to Guenther, there’s a big difference between blowing off some steam with the girls on a night out, and seeking out other people to fulfill your emotional, mental, creative, or even physical needs.

Continuing to date one another — that is, putting in effort to spend time together one-on-one in enjoyable and meaningful ways — is a surefire way to keep the spark alive. Conversely, flaking on date nights and not wanting to make plans can be detrimental to your relationship, and signal that you’re no longer invested in your partner.

“If you can’t muster the inspiration needed to have fun and create some form of intimacy, it’s a sign that the relationship might be stagnating,” Guenther tells Bustle. “Without the effort to keep the romance alive, partners can start to feel neglected and unappreciated, leading to a gradual emotional drift.”