How Do I Write A Unique Online Dating Profile?

Making a connection

A lot has changed since online dating first became popular in the 1990s and oughts. Who doesn鈥檛 love Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks anonymously bonding over email in听You鈥檝e Got Mail? But online dating profiles are a bit more complex now, and there鈥檚 been a lot of ink spilled on how to craft the perfect online dating profile (with the studies to back it up)鈥攖o your great benefit!

Your profile is a lot like a resume, but with selfies. It鈥檚 important to represent yourself in the best possible light. It’s also important to use unique words that show your personality and allow people to get to know you a little bit better by just reading your profile. Common descriptors like happy, nice, and caring may take you one step closer to a “swipe left.”

So, of course, we’re here to help you out with more interesting, thoughtful word choices about yourself. Read on for some suggestions that may help you express your personality shine even brighter.

Disclaimer: only use these word suggestions if they are right for you. Lying in your online profile is a no-no.

If you're an optimistic person ...

Optimistic people, you’re up.

Writing a dating profile when you’re optimistic doesn’t seem like it would be hard. But sometimes words like听丑补辫辫测听补苍诲听optimistic are so overused in the online dating world that they get easily glossed over in a profile.

But, as in many arenas of life, online daters do tend to respond to positivity, and that includes positive words. Online profiles are first impressions, after all, and people who make snap judgments tend to value optimism.

So, how do you say you’re and without using those exact words? Cue Thesuarus.com for some inspiration:

Pessimists, take heart. Even Oscar has Grundgetta. Maybe limit the negativity to a couple key phrases; we’re thinking 听辞谤 might fit the bill.

If you're a unique person ...

In the world of online dating, everyone wants to stand out. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 crucial to highlight your individual qualities, hobbies, and talents.

One generic way of separating yourself from the pack is to declare yourself as 鈥渄ifferent from everyone else.鈥澨齀ronically, there鈥檚 nothing different about saying that you鈥檙e .

Bestselling novelist Dave Eggers describes the way you catch someone鈥檚 attention in a profile as the 鈥渉ook.” To stand out, you have to 鈥渉ook people in like you would in a book,鈥� i.e., describe the things you like specifically.

People are attracted to people who are like them, so give them a chance to click with the very real you. Fill in the blanks: You’re unique because …

• you like ultimate frisbee
• you’re a good listener
• you love true crime podcasts
• you make amazing homemade donuts

Don’t be afraid to put it out there: what makes you you?

If you're a nice person ...

Being nice is a good thing, right? Of course the internet had to go and ruin that too. If you’re nice and want to share that with your potential love interests, here are some tips for writing about that quality.

1. Beware of nice guy syndrome when filling out your profile. Even if you are an authentically kind person, the term nice has gained some dark connotations in the world of online dating. For example, self-proclaimed nice guys on the internet have a reputation for passive aggression and entitlement. Yikes.

WATCH: 黑料网's So Wrong With "Nice"?

2. Use words without the baggage that has: eHarmony considers warm and generous听to be popular words among its most successful profiles. But personally we like:

If you're a curious person ...

Are you a genuinely curious person? Curiosity is generally a quality most people seek because it tends to mean you’re adventurous, eager, into education, and … maybe even a bit nosy or jealous. So that’s why there’s probably some better, more specific, descriptors you can use to explain your curious side.

The problem with听 is that it can be taken out of context … you know, like that whole jealousy thing. Instead, could be a fun alternative that has the same kind of gusto as curious. Some other good options:

Similarly, if you’re a straightforward person who avoids drama, be wary of the word . 听Try easy-going instead … that extra word makes all the difference 馃槈.

If you're a respectful person ...

Respect is a great quality, especially when looking at dating profiles. However, if you consider yourself a respectful person and you’re tempted to use a word like or in your profile to convey that … read on before you press “save.”

Listen, we get it! You鈥檙e respectful. You open doors for others. You鈥檙e a good tipper.听 Unfortunately, those aren鈥檛 the only prerequisites for respect these days. And using words听like gentleman or lady can send the wrong impression to someone looking at your profile who finds those terms old-fashioned or even offensive. In the online dating world today, gender is fluid and being respectful of other people’s genders and pronouns actually shows that quality more than a word in a profile can.

According to a Match.com study, the word actually attracts more attention. Try that one on for size. If it doesn’t fit, these might work too:

If you're a fun person ...

Fun is great, especially when it comes to dating. Nobody is actively looking for someone who considers themselves boring. But, what are some words related to fun that say a little bit more about your actual personality and what makes you fun?

The word might work, it says you’re playful and saucy, which might be just what you鈥檙e looking for. But if that鈥檚 not the case, try something a little tamer.

• active or

Oh, quick tip: you don’t have to mention that hilarious prank you pulled off when you were 16. A profile captures who you are right now. 黑料网 activities are you enjoying in this moment?

If you're a romantic person ...

Being a is a plus, because it shows you have an emotional side. But if you’re an ’80s or ’90s kid and you hear the word romantic,听the only thing that comes to mind may be Molly Ringwald and Freddie Prinze Jr. The romcom may have ruined the word romantic听for some of us, but don’t fret, because there are a lot of other words that conjure up the caring, loving person you’re documenting in that dating profile.

We personally like the following:

Quick tip: you may want to avoid words like mushy or corny though.