Whether it’s a drunken text from an ex or a random message accidentally sent by a stranger… most of us have received our fair share of awkward or inappropriate texts at some point in our lives.
But every now and then, there are some men who type something so painfully cringe that it deserves to be screenshotted and made public.
This is exactly the kind of content people share on the subreddit r/cringepics, and we’ve rounded up some of the most ridiculous messages.
The posts range from guys sliding into women’s DMs with bizarre pickup lines, to men who proudly call themselves the “nice guy” right before saying something unbelievably rude.
#1 I Feel Like Kind Of A Jerk, But Every Time I Think About It, I Cringe
© Photo: Own_Clerk4772
#2 Ngvc: "I'm The Nicest Guy Anyone Ever Met"
© Photo: EnigmaMissing
#3 “My Little Bro Borrowed My iPad To Text His Girl”
© Photo: honeypup
If you’ve spent time on social media, dating apps, or even regular messaging platforms, you’ve probably seen at least a few cringe sentences here and there.
Some messages are harmless. Like a stranger using an overused pickup line, or a text full of emojis and bad grammar.
But some other messages can take a darker turn, especially when the person on the receiving end doesn’t respond the way the sender hopes.
An awkward compliment can turn into passive-aggressive comments or even outright insults.
#4 Hate To Think There Are People Like This
© Photo: Mindnessss
#5 Question Answered
© Photo: Digita-Pntics
#6 Messages My Wife Got From A Friend She Hasn't Spoken To In Over 10 Years
© Photo: TheWannabeViking
Some men genuinely believe persistence is romantic, research shows. Especially when it comes to texting or sliding into someone’s DMs, they feel that it's going to work out in their favor.
Experts say the idea that you should keep trying or win someone over is deeply rooted in pop culture and dating advice. It can lead people to think repeated messages are helpful, rather than uncomfortable.
#7 Sent This In Response To A Spam Text But Accidentally Sent It To A Cremation Business For My Cat
© Photo: PirateCaptainSkull
#8 What An Opening Message! 😬
© Photo: Embarrassed_Formal99
#9 Someone Sent This Catastrophe Of A First Message To My Friend 😂
© Photo: Anita_Spanken
Traditional gender expectations might also shape how people behave on dating apps and social media.
In many cultures, men are expected to initiate flirting or pursue women, while women are often seen as the gatekeepers who accept or reject advances.
Some men may feel pressure to send bold messages quickly and repeatedly because of this dynamic, experts believe.
#10 On The Sad Side Of Cringe
© Photo: WardensLantern
#11 Atheist
© Photo: TheComics_Guru2017
#12 "Hating Epstein Is The Essence Of Antisemitism" Because 'Mediocre' People Are Supposedly Jealous
© Photo: helpmeplsgetjob
Hiding behind a keyboard and a screen also makes people say things they normally wouldn’t face-to-face.
Online platforms also allow people to message strangers without social consequences.
Research shows that explicit and cringe messages can be found on almost all social platforms.
It says girls start receiving unwanted online attention from men they don't know at the young age of 12-14.
By the time they're 17 or 18 years, 80% of women have received inappropriate messages online.
#13 This Can't Be Real
© Photo: Mindnessss
#14 He Was Lecturing Everyone About Masculinity… Until I Posted His Dance-Class Photo And He Deleted His Comment
© Photo: JMoneyGraves
#15 Um
© Photo: RoboCopIsMyDad
Women on professional networking sites are also not safe. A recent study found that a whopping 91% of the women received romantic advances or inappropriate messages at least once on LinkedIn.
The unwanted messages requested dates or hookups, asked for intimate personal info or had unsolicited flattery.
#16 Picked Up Some Shoes From Facebook Marketplace And Got Some Interesting Messages After I Left 🫣
© Photo: dysaniadoll
#17 Ngvc: “Your Feminism Warped Mind Ruined It For You”
© Photo: well-ddaeng
#18 This Guy Wants A "Marriage Material Girl"
© Photo: the_simple_girl
The biggest issue behind these kinds of messages is the lack of consent.
“I never want to ‘yucky’ anyone’s ‘yum’ as long as it is between two consenting adults, but consent can be a problem with initiation messages because there is no previous communication to establish consent,” says interpersonal communication researcher Amanda Lilly.
#19 Ngvc: “I Am Nice In Person.”
© Photo: NotTaken-username
#20 Ngvc “I’m A Nice Guy I’m Just Trying To Help You Out” (Xpost From Not How Girls Work)
© Photo: Generic_Garak
#21 Ngvc: "I’ll Eat My Way To Your Heart….”
© Photo: NotAllAngelsFly
For most people, texting isn’t exactly where they’re hoping to find love. So when random messages asking them out pop up out of nowhere, it can feel pretty uncomfortable.
A lot of women say unwanted attention from men makes them feel awkward, disrespected, or like they’re being treated as an object rather than a person.
In a survey, many women said that when they received unexpected cringe messages, they felt confused, uneasy, and sometimes even violated.
Experts say that in many ways, weird or inappropriate texts are kind of the modern version of street harassment.
They’re annoying, and even if you try to ignore them, they’re still pretty hard to completely avoid online.
#22 Ngvc “Ima Be A Billionaire”
© Photo: Comfortable-Top-8172
#23 Ngvc: “I Was Very Nice To You, I Didn’t Think You’d Be This Disrespectful.”
© Photo: Lovely-panic
#24 Ngvc: “Men Have It So Hard!”
© Photo: megurine-luka-fan
#25 Ngvc: "Don't Laugh. The Future For All The Nice Guys"
© Photo: eviemeoww
#26 “Sure You May Be Skinny, But How Motivated Will You Be After The Baby To Get Back To This Shape?”
© Photo: SheisAnonymity
#27 Character AI Addiction Is Real Guys, The Struggle Is Harsh 😞🙏
© Photo: reddit.com
#28 Um… Is This Guy Okay?
© Photo: ISeeNoIssue
#29 Y'know I Never Got Stalking Andrew Tate's Twitter Up Until This Valentines Day, This Guy Is Hilarious To Watch From Afar
© Photo: Ok_Half_6257
#30 Stinky Day
© Photo: WhoAmIEven2
#31 Omegle Cringe
© Photo: Hour-Gold9419
#32 Nobody Asked For This But We Are Forced To Suffer
© Photo: Alleira_red
#33 Americans Thinking The Whole World Works Like America Is Cringe
© Photo: WhoAmIEven2
#34 Former Local Politician Thinks He's A Celebrity. He Was Kicked Out Of His Party Last Year For Corruption
© Photo: quokkafarts
#35 "But I Would Argue Individual States Are As Much Or More Culturally Distinct (Think California vs. Appalachia) Than Sweden Is From Bulgaria"
© Photo: WhoAmIEven2
#36 Pokemon Cringe
© Photo: reddit.com
#37 Yikes
© Photo: ModernCaveWuffs
#38 It’s Always Eugenics
© Photo: gorampardos
#39 Only Bad Guys Have Fish Pics
© Photo: dontsleepdream
#40 Ngvc: “I Stopped When I Realize You’re Serious” – Guy Thinks Ignoring ‘No’ Is Normal And Blames Women For Not Dropping Their Knickers
© Photo: y4187
#41 Ngvc: “You Definitely Get Off On Rejecting Men”
© Photo: That-Appeal-9300
#42 Ngvc: “Chaotic Golden Retriever Vibes”
© Photo: theunspokenwords__
#43 Ngvc: “I Cannot Be The Nice Guy, Handling You Like A Delicate Flower While The Bad Guy Is Already Pounding You”
© Photo: ThePhillyExplorer
#44 Ngvc: “I’m A Nice Guy, Stop Blocking Me And Give Me A Chance”
© Photo: aerisza
#45 Ngvc: “Women Need To Nod Their Head And Stand There Instead Of Being Creeped Out By Me.”
© Photo: hiphoptomato
#46 Ngvc: "U Ignored My Nice Compliment, Go Cut Urself!"
© Photo: Sontori1
#47 Maga Youtube Horny For Kristi Noem
© Photo: blareboy
#48 Text I Sent To A Girl When I Was In 6th Grade😭
© Photo: CommercialLab6842
#49 Wow
© Photo: Sea_Syllabub_1930