leave (someone) on read
phrase
to not respond to someone after reading their text, DM, etc.
What does leave (someone) on read mean?
To leave someone on read is to look at, but then not respond, to their text message, DM, etc. for an indefinite amount of time.
Examples of leave (someone) on read
“I still have his text thread,” Aaron Henry said during training camp. “I said, ‘Dude, you left me on read!’ And I show him it all the time. He just starts laughing.”
—Mike Berardino, The South Bend (Indiana) Tribune, 10 Sept. 2026
Being left on read can make you question whether you said something wrong or whether texting again will make you look desperate.
—To leave me on READ for HOURS is inane.
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Where does leave (someone) on read come from?
Some text and instant messaging apps automatically notify users that a message has been not just delivered, but received/looked at by the recipient, with the word read. The presumption when someone leaves another person on read—that someone has “read” a text but not immediately responded—that something wrong/bad/rude/judgmental is afoot.
How is leave (someone) on read used?
Usually with some amount of indignation, even though it’s generally understood that there could be any number of reasons why a person doesn’t respond to their texts right away. Driving, for example—don’t text while driving!
What I can tell you is this: the person who left you on read is probably also being left on read by someone else. We’re all perpetrators and victims in this system we’ve created. We’re all checking our phones to see if we matter, while someone else is checking their phone to see if they matter to us.
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