20 Signs Your Online Match Could Be the Real Deal
These are 20 signs of a genuine online match, which involve recognizing traits like consistent communication, respect, and shared goals—indicating the potential for a meaningful and lasting relationship.
- Alyana Aguja
- 8 min read
When an online match shows signs of sincerity, authenticity, and interest in building a future life together, it suggests the potential for a meaningful and lasting relationship. Indications can be open to boundaries, independence, and emotional support. These are the 20 signs your online match could be the real deal.
1. You have consistent communication with them
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Communication, especially healthy ones, is the key to a long-lasting relationship and could be the defining start of a budding one. A sign that your potential partner might be the one for you is when your conversation with them flows naturally and does not feel forced or desperate. It also helps if they’re very responsive to your statements and show tremendous and genuine interest in getting to know you even more by asking the right questions.
2. You share the same values and goals
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It is difficult to connect with somebody with goals and values different from ours, and as the old proverb goes, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Your online match could be the real deal when you find that you and your potential love interest share the same core values, such as career, lifestyle, and long-term goals. It is also lovely when both of you talk about the future, not just idle small talk.
3. You both plan for your activities and dates
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One-sided love affairs are painful, and it hurts especially when you find out that your potential love interest does not share the same enthusiasm as you when planning your events and engagements with them. Another sign that your online match could be the real deal is that they take an active role in arranging whatever future plans you both have, be it dates or something else. They are usually enthusiastic when doing so and do not cancel at the last minute or make vague promises.
4. They respect your boundaries
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We all have boundaries, be they minor or significant, that are deal-breakers in our personal dating lives and should be respected, especially during the early stages of a romantic relationship. A sign that your potential love interest is suitable for you is when they respect your boundaries and do not pressure you into moving in a direction you’re still uncomfortable with. This includes being mindful about asking personal questions, sharing photos, and meeting in person.
5. They are authentic and vulnerable when it is right for them to be
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In every relationship, authenticity mixed with vulnerability are two of the primary keys to understanding our significant others, and it is only fitting that we look for these things in a potential love interest. One of the good signs that your online match could be the real deal is that they are willing to share about themselves, be it happy experiences or personal challenges. It is also a good indicator that they are genuine if they do not try to impress you by bragging and overselling themselves for them to like you.
6. They are interested beyond your physical qualities
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Of course, when it comes to attracting a potential romantic interest, we must be attracted to them based on our types. However, a good match that could turn into a real deal would be interested in more than just your physical appearance and qualities. They compliment your hobbies, interests, humor, intelligence, and personality.
7. They encourage you to be yourself
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It’s difficult when somebody stifles us from our authentic selves, so it’s a no-brainer that in every romantic relationship, we tend to be attracted to someone who lets us be who we want to be and accepts us for it. A potential love interest is a keeper when they support your passions, interests, hobbies, and goals and encourage you to be open about them. It is also a good sign when you feel comfortable around them and do not need to impress them.
8. They are transparent and honest with you
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We expect honesty from people because there is no greater feeling than being confident that they will be truthful to you. When it comes to potential partners, we expect them to be upfront about what they’re looking for in a relationship, and more often than not, this is a sign that your online match could be the one for you. They also communicate with you openly and do not disappear randomly, leaving you hanging.
9. They share the same excitement in meeting you when you’re both ready to
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When the time is right, you’ll know that you’re ready to meet this online person to take the next step of the relationship further, and it feels nice when they are excited to meet you as well. A telltale sign that a person might be right for you is that they do not avoid or delay discussing the idea of eventually meeting up with you. There is also a sense of contagious mutual eagerness when the time suits both of you.
10. They listen and remember details
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It is great to feel like we’re necessary to somebody, and an indicator that your potential match is the real deal is that they listen intently to what you have said and remember it. This includes recalling things you mentioned in a previous conversation and showing they are paying enough attention. It includes remembering things like your favorite coffee order, a significant milestone of your life, or a funny detail in your story.
11. They resolve conflict positively
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Misunderstandings are common, primarily online, because speech nuances are replaced with emotionless texts to be read. However, a potential romantic partner’s healthy conflict resolution often indicates there is the real deal. They handle it calmly, are open to your perspective, and do not resort to guilt-tripping, gaslighting, and ghosting–which are “no-nos” in all kinds of relationships.
12. They are open about their own life
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We all lead different lives, and that is a fact. However, it is nice to know about others’ lives as well, especially when it is someone that you could potentially date and become your romantic partner. They let you into their world and do not seem secretive about it, especially regarding their family, friends, jobs, and day-to-day happenings.
13. They give you space
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It’s a common misconception that conversing with someone through text or online requires little to no effort and can be multitasked. An excellent potential partner, however, recognizes the previous statement as a fallacy. They communicate regularly, give you space, and do not demand constant attention, respecting your commitments and independence.
14. They make you feel safe and respected
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At the bare minimum, a potential partner should make you feel safe and respected. A promising sign of this is when you feel secure when you share your personal information with them without ever feeling pressured or judged. They also treat you with respect and reaffirm your boundaries.
15. They share the same sense of humor as you
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A similar sense of humor could signify that you and your online match’s personalities are compatible. It is nice when you laugh at the same things, find the same funny moments funny, or enjoy sending each other funny memes or videos. It is indicative of your chemistry together, and it makes it easier to connect with them.
16. They do not have mysterious double lives
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Nobody wants a two-timer, especially this early in a budding relationship. A good indicator that a potential love interest is good for you is that there is transparency in their behavior. They also do not show signs of being in another relationship or being deceptive about themselves and do not have hidden agendas.
17. You are both enthusiastic when it comes to long-term potential
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Of course, in every budding relationship, it is pretty standard to think ahead, especially when we like the person we’re getting to know. It is even better when both of you are enthusiastic about future plans that involve traveling together or meeting each other’s friends. These could come in lighthearted conversations, especially since it is still early, but they are often an indicator that both of you are considering a future together without rushing into things.
18. They are open about their relationship history
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Nobody likes being blindsided, especially when it comes to potential romances, so it is a good thing when your online match is transparent about their relationship history, however short or long they may have been. They’re comfortable discussing their past relationships healthily and civilly, which shows their emotional maturity. It also indicates that they do not dwell on the past but are opening up to you for insights that give you a better understanding of what they’re looking for in a potential relationship with you.
19. You both are willing to try each other’s hobbies
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It is beautiful when we share interests and hobbies with someone, especially our potential romantic interest, because it shows us how compatible we are with them. However, trying each other’s interests to get to know each other is a whole kind of intimacy. This could be watching a favorite show together, sending book and movie recommendations, singing together, dancing together, and many others.
20. You Feel Like You’re Learning and Growing Together
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Finally, a healthy getting-to-know-you phase with an online match that could turn into a potential romantic relationship begins with the feeling that you two are growing for the better. Conversations with them inspire you to think profoundly and improve yourself positively. They also improve you intellectually and emotionally. And if you feel this, rest assured, they think the same way.