If A Husband Is Falling Out Of Love, He'll Start Doing These 11 Things At Dinner
Sometimes, the most mundane daily rituals can be 'red flags' in a marriage.
garetsworkshop | Shutterstock Navigating rough patches, difficult times, personal struggles, and a loss of romantic love in a marriage is far from an easy feat. Not only does it look different for every couple and require a number of different solutions and adjustments from partners to face, it can feel emotionally draining and overwhelming amid the chaos of everyday life. Sometimes, even noticing that you've grown apart from or lost the spark with a partner is the hardest part.
However, the mundane and seemingly innocent things partners do when they're unhappy or unfilled in a marriage can actually be "red flags" for their spouses to acknowledge. From avoiding quality time to overusing a phone, if a husband is falling out of love, he'll start doing these things at dinner — in the most subtle and inconspicuous parts of their routine.
If a husband is falling out of love, he'll start doing these 11 things at dinner
1. He eats in another room
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While many healthy couples, with strong communication patterns, self-esteem, and intimacy, thrive when sleeping in separate beds or spending more time alone, physical distance can also be a sign of lost romantic love in certain scenarios.
If a husband is disengaged and resentful, he may use physical distance to cope — spending more time at work, going out with friends all the time, and even avoiding quality time by eating dinner in a separate room. Even if it seems like a normal habit, especially alongside his justification and excuses, not prioritizing quality time and intentional space together can quickly sabotage an already unhealthy marriage.
2. He scrolls on his phone
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Whether their phone is just in their hand or they're actually using it, the presence of this technology can be detrimental to relationship health and satisfaction, like a study from Computers in Human Behavior argues.
Not only does it encourage partners to develop resentment in the face of feeling unheard and unvalued, it isolates partners from true vulnerability, connection, intimacy, and communication — even when they're two feet apart.
So, if a husband is falling out of love, chances are he'll take anything he can get — whether it's a phone or extra work hours — to avoid emotional investments and engagement.
3. He gives one-word answers
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When partners don't feel heard in their relationships — fueled by a lack of intimacy and communication, both foundations of a healthy partnership — it's not surprising that they withdraw and stop putting in the same amount of effort. They're not being rewarded or feeling supported for showing up, entertaining hard conversations, and resolving problems because they're operating alone, rather than on a team with their spouse.
That's why a husband who's falling out of love will often give one-word answers and avoid vulnerable conversations at dinner. Even if he's sitting right next to his partner and sharing a meal with them, he's likely not leaning into the potential for conversation, intimacy, and connectedness.
4. He sits far away
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When we're dealing with conflict or confrontation in a relationship, our bodies often respond like we're being literally chased by a predator — part of the reason why "fight or flight" modes are often associated with emotional harm, hurt, anxiety, and internal pain. So, it's not entirely surprising that when partners in a marriage are going through a rough patch or fighting a lot, there's a lot more physical space between them at any given point in the day.
They may not be able to flee completely — leaving the home or moving out — but they're not afraid to cope with internal frustration and disillusionment by sitting far away at dinner or sleeping in a separate bed.
5. He doesn't say thank you
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Even if it seems simple, giving thanks to a partner for things like making a meal or picking you up from work are more powerful than people give them credit for. Not only does it make people feel seen, it makes them feel heard, loved, and appreciated.
Some experts even argue that expressing gratitude — whether it's through small acts of kindness or simple phrases like "thank you" — can actually protect long-term couples from rough patches and declines in things like communication and intimacy, giving them a better chance at growing back together, rather than divorcing.
So, if a husband is falling out of love, he's not only likely avoiding quality time and dismissing himself from important communication habits, he's also overlooking the simple nature of a "thank you" or "I appreciate you" amid their daily routine.
6. He skips the meal
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Outside of avoiding connection and quality time at the dinner table, some husbands may simply skip the meal altogether when they're not interested in connecting with their partners. By making excuses about work and other responsibilities or simply using a phrase like "I'm not hungry," they leave their partners to cook and spend time with themselves, almost always with the addition of frustration, resentment, or loneliness.
According to a study from the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, more than half of older adults are living in disconnected and lonely marriages, largely because of lacking effort and commitment. They believe that simply because they've been together for a long time that they're doing things right, even when, in reality, the true key to a healthy long-term marriage is constant growth, effort, hard work, and commitment.
7. He doesn't offer to help or make food
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Despite earning and working the same, if not more than their male counterparts, many women tend to take on the majority of household labor in their marriages — whether that's childcare, cooking, cleaning, or managing household responsibilities, according to a study from Pew Research Center.
However, the healthiest marriages have a balance — regardless of who is taking care of what, they have open conversations about responsibilities and even shift the balance to account for stress, illness, and needed support for each partner. So, if a husband stops offering to help with chores or never makes a meal for his partner, it could be one of the signs they're falling out of love.
It's a general lack of effort and disengaged mentality that's commonly associated with broken marriages, but it's really these small and subtle daily habits that manifest as proof that a partner is checked out.
8. He doesn't ask about his partner's day
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With any loved one or relationship in your life, having regular check-ins can boost both people's mood, intimacy, and general connectedness, according to a study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. That's why missing out on these moments of connection and conversation is so impactful for intimate partners who thrive on these small check-ins to stay connected amid the chaos of everyday life.
Without them, couples tend to feel isolated and alone in their own marriages — feeling more like roommates or friends, without intentional moments of quality connection during the day. So, if a husband is falling out of love, he'll probably start doing these things at dinner — withdrawing from vulnerable conversations and never asking about his partner's day.
9. He rushes through the meal
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Quality time is just as important for couples in long-term marriages as it is for partners at the beginning of a relationship, and especially for older husbands, it's a huge indicator of general well-being and happiness. So, if a husband is actively avoiding it by rushing through a meal at dinnertime, spending more time at work, or going out with friends more often, it could be a representation of the disconnection he feels with his partner at home.
Of course, there are a number of reasons why partners may rush through meals on an everyday basis — dealing with a full plate of work or family responsibilities. But alongside other experiences like being disengaged in conversation or avoiding eye contact, it's often a subtle sign of relationship dissatisfaction and lost romantic love.
10. He avoids eye contact
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If a husband is falling out of love, the subtle things he does at dinner may be more illuminating than they may typically be — whether it's withdrawing from conversations or simply avoiding eye contact with his partner.
Of course, body language like eye contact isn't just essential to active listening and connection between partners, it can also be a signal of affection and attraction in marriages. So, no matter how subtle and innocent a loss of eye contact seems on paper, it generally keeps couples from being able to truly connect amid the mundanity and chaos of everyday life.
11. He criticizes the food
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According to a study from the Journal of Family Psychology, relationship satisfaction is often an important indicator for general well-being and mental health. People who aren't satisfied or happy in their marriages and relationships tend to be at a higher risk for depressive symptoms — things like heightened irritability, low energy, and disengagement.
If a husband is falling out of love, he'll start doing many of these things at dinner — being irritable with his partner in conversation, withdrawing from quality time at the dinner table, and even being hyper-critical of the food they're eating to compensate for emotional turmoil inside.
It's often these seemingly subtle experiences and petty arguments that further drive couples apart, especially in the face of lost romantic love, that negatively affects every aspect of both partner's routine and life.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
