Do you think a guy likes you but fears you might reject him?
He keeps sending mixed signals hinting he likes you more than a friend. But again, he’s not making a move.
As a man and coach, I understand how it feels to like a woman yet fear she’ll reject you. So stay with me through this piece and learn the telltale signs he likes you but is afraid of rejection.
Let’s dive right into it.
1. He Gives You Special Compliments
We get compliments from many people. But if a guy can tell all aspects of how amazing you are, chances are, he likes you. He won’t stop at complimenting your physical beauty though.
He may appreciate unique things such as your grit, how you express yourself in fashion, your love for others, and suchlike things.
When you like someone, you’ll see their goodness first and focus on showing them you see them for who they are. While a guy scared of rejection might not tell you they like you, they’ll hint at it in endless, unusual compliments.
2. He Flirts With You
Friends tease a lot but if a guy constantly makes flirtatious comments, chances are, they’ve developed feelings for you.
He may make comments hinting he’s thinking about you or that he desires you think of him.
Flirting can likewise be as simple as always finding reasons to start a conversation. It can again be wordless with body language like him always positioning himself where you can see him.
3. He’s Curious to Know You
Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay
When you like something, you strive to know as much as you can about it. Well, that’s the same with romantic interests.
One sign that he likes you but is afraid of rejection is that he’ll try his best to know you without being direct. He may ask other people about you or when you’re conversing about others he may use statements like “What about you” and “What do you think.”
He’ll probably follow you on social media trying to understand how you think. This is to know what you like, deal-breakers, and everything else so he can avoid rejection when he asks you out.
4. He Doesn’t Talk About His Love Life
What happens when you ask the guy about his romantic life? Does he tell you of a girl he likes out there or is he vague around the topic?
Commonly, a guy who likes you but fears showing it tends to omit his love life from the conversation. After all, the love life in his mind involves you and him but it’s tough to tell you. How can he tell the only one he likes about a love he lacks?
5. He Stays Present When With You
We’re living in a distracted era where even when a guy is on a date, they can’t keep off their phone. Therefore, one of the signs he likes you but is afraid of rejection is attentiveness whenever together.
It may be a brief hallway conversation or a long hang out, this guy seems to present always. He’s not only listening to you but seems emotionally attuned with nods and assurances like “I understand.”
6. You Often Catch Him Looking At You
Men are visual creatures. So when a guy is attracted to you, he’ll stare at you often.
However, one of the common signs he likes you but is afraid of rejection is a quick visual diversion. Since maintaining his gaze will reveal that he likes you, he’d hastily glance away when you look at him.
He might be shying off, avoiding your response, or thinking you’ll feel violated.
Related: How To Tell If A Guy Likes You But Is Hiding It
7. His Loved Ones Hint You
Even if a guy doesn’t tell you he likes you, chances are, he’s telling his loved ones. He might have revealed you mean a lot to him that when you meet people close to him, you can sense it from how they relate to you.
They might throw around comments like, “He seems happy around you” to show you that he’s interested in you.
Since his loved ones know him enough (maybe he’s a shy guy), they might think it fit to let you know so you can show him you’re interested too.
8. He’s Jealous Of Other Guys
Photo by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels
When other men flirt with you, he looks agitated. When talking about men interested in you, he rushes to get out of that topic.
Chances are, he doesn’t want you to view any other person romantically yet he’s scared of revealing how he feels.
He fears losing you to other men yet his fear of rejection holds him back from telling you how he feels.
9. He Talks About “Us” Passively
“Imagine us as a couple, crazy right?” “Hypothetically speaking, where would you like me to take you if we were dating?”
These passive “we as a couple” statements and questions are clear signs he likes you but is afraid of rejection. And he makes them since they can easily be shrugged off as jokes.
If he puts himself out there without really being vulnerable, he can gauge your interest safely enough to know whether you like him too.
10. They Call or Text Often
While he might have not yet revealed his feelings, if a guy relishes you, he’ll call or text you frequently.
He’ll check on you, try to strike conversations with you — whatever keeps him connected with you.
11. He Remembers Many Things You Say
One sign that he likes you is that he’d remember many details of your conversation. This includes your struggles, humor, things most important to you, people close to you, and so forth.
You’d be surprised how he remembers important days in your life and how he knows exactly how to impress you. He may not admit he likes you but this is a good sign revealing the fact.
12. The World Thinks You’re a Couple
You might be blind to a guy’s interest in you but others see it. They might express it in statements like“You guys make such a delightful couple.”
So if others keep thinking you are in a relationship, chances are, they see the chemistry between you two. Furthermore, if the guy seems to feel good about these comments, he probably likes you.
13. He Wants to Spend Time With You
Image by iqbal nuril anwar from Pixabay
We all want to spend time with someone we like.
Therefore, when a guy is always looking forward to spending time with you, they’re probably wishing you were more than a friend to them.
He might have a tight schedule but goes out of his way to be with you. And if he doesn’t talk about his feelings for you, he likely fears you’ll reject him.
14. He Flows With Your Every Word
If a guy cherishes you and doesn’t want you to reject him, he’ll probably hang onto your every word. He’ll avoid disagreeing with you even if it means voicing out his opinion dismissively.
When you make a joke, he might laugh even though in normal circumstances, he wouldn’t find it funny.
Since he avoids rejection, he’ll subconsciously regard what you say highly. He might even do things you recommend not because they’re the best but because he likes you.
15. He’s Always There Whenever You Need Him
The hero instinct is aroused in every man attracted to a woman. It prompts him to provide solutions to the woman so she doesn’t struggle or fall into the mercies of another man.
So if you pay attention to your experiences with him and realize he responds to your needs promptly, chances are, he likes you but is afraid of showing it.
16. He Mostly Reveals His Best Side to You
If you like someone, you’ll show up looking good, revealing the best things about yourself so they can feel good about you. Well, that’s the same for men.
If a man likes you, he’ll groom himself well for you. You’ll know this especially if he appears more carefree when with other people.
17. He Notices Subtle Changes About You
“You’ve changed your normal hairstyle, this one looks even better on you.” “You no longer talk of your business idea, is everything okay?”
One of these signs he likes you but is afraid of rejection is that he does notice subtle changes about you. They show he’s interested and mindful of your entire self.
18. You Feel the Chemistry
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Your intuition is smarter than you think so when you sense the chemistry between you, chances are, the guy likes you. And you might like him too.
In relationship psychology, chemistry is a strong emotional connection that reveals an unspoken attraction. You can say you “click” with the other person. Chemistry can be non-romantic or romantic and can develop in different ways between two people.
So if you feel the chemistry but the guy hasn’t made a move yet, he’s probably into you but the fear of rejection is holding him back.
19. He’s Nervous Around You
When you see someone you’re attracted to, levels of norepinephrine increase such that even if you’re thrilled to see the person, you also become hyper-cautious of how you present yourself.
In shy people, norepinephrine levels hike higher which causes them to freak out even more when around someone they like, explains Dr. Scott Carroll on NBC News. This applies to guys scared of rejection as well.
While striving to hide their intentions, they feel excited to be around you and this leads to visible nervousness like fidgeting, preening, avoiding eye contact, sweating, and even clumsiness.
20. He’s Often Looking Down
If he often looks down in a conversation and barely can hold eye contact, it’s a clear sign that he is shy and maybe doesn’t dare to talk about his feelings for you.
21. He’s Uncomfortable Meeting Others
If he just wants to meet with you alone, this could be another sign, that he is interested in you.
22. He Reveals Private Secrets
If he tells you private secrets, this is a sign of trust and that he is comfortable around you.
Understanding a Guy That Likes You but Fears Rejection
If you see some of the above signs he likes you but is afraid of rejection, it’s probably true. But before you make any move, check out these questions my clients ask to understand the guy better.
What are the signs that a guy is hiding his true feelings from you?
If a guy is hiding his true feelings, he’ll display the above signs. Most importantly, he’ll give you special treatment, make time to spend with you, and check up on you physically, on-call, and by text.
How do guys act when they are falling in love and are scared?
When a guy is falling in love but is terrified, he’ll passively express himself so he may not get embarrassed in case you don’t have feelings for him. He’ll exhibit most of the above 19 signs of unspoken attraction but fail to make a move unless you appear interested.
Why would a guy reject you if he likes you?
Here are 9 plausible reasons a guy rejects you even if he likes you:
- He isn’t sure if you have feelings for him
- He thinks you like someone else
- He has low self-esteem
- He only likes you as a friend
- He doesn’t think you’re compatible
- He doesn’t see a future with you
- He thinks you’re too clingy, judgemental, unintelligent, negative, independent — whatever quality he considers a deal-breaker
- He is playing the love game
- He fears he’s not ready for commitment
Here’s a powerful video to help you learn how to smartly get over a rejection:
How do you know if a guy is catching feelings for you?
You’ll know he’s catching feelings for you if he behaves weirdly around you, showing the above signs that he likes you but is afraid of rejection. He’ll chiefly want to be the hero in your situations, expressing his need to be needed by you. He might appear hot and cold when caught in a dilemma of whether he should express his feelings or avoid hurting you by suppressing them.
Final Word
Even if we don’t tell how we feel, we unwittingly display our feelings towards a woman we like.
So when wondering whether a guy likes you, always look out for these 19 signs he likes you but is afraid of rejection.
Don’t forget to share your experience in the comments!
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