25 Signs a Guy Likes You but Is Intimidated

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Most times, when men like someone, they don’t like expressing their feelings. They prefer to show love through different means instead of verbalizing it. This might leave you confused because you will not know if you should reciprocate or not.

In this post, you will learn the various signs a guy likes you but is intimidated. Knowing these signs will help you know how to respond if you have feelings for the guy or not.

When a man says that you’re intimidating, what does it mean?

Has a man told you that he is scared of talking to you, and you wonder how to be less intimidating to guys? You may have put up a disposition that discourages anyone from approaching you. 

Additionally, it implies that you don’t give potential suitors the opportunity to walk up to you, because you seem unapproachable

Also Try- How Intimidating Are You Quiz

How to spot if a guy is intimidated by you

One of the ways to know when a guy is intimidated by you is when he talks indirectly about how he feels towards you. 

He might show all the signs of someone in love, but he will not tell you how he feels concerning you. This answers questions like why do guys act weird when they like you.

Gabriel Nichols’ book titled Commitment Issues in Men looks at how intimidation can be one reason why men fear commitment in relationships. 

Things men find intimidating about women

Some men find women who don’t open up intimidating. She might be experiencing a lot but refusing to open up to anyone. In addition, when a man discovers many potential partners around a woman, they might be intimidated to approach her, because they worry that some other guy has a better chance at winning her heart

Clinical Psychologist Dr. Avrum G. Weiss, in his book titled ‘Hidden in Plain Sight,’ tries to help you understand how men’s fear of women shapes their intimate relationships. They might withdraw as they are unable to deal with their emotions. 

How to know when a guy likes you but is scared

When you want to know if a guy likes you but is scared, one of the signs you will notice is that the man will perform the role of a male partner without officially asking you out. 

Additionally, he will make some sacrifices for you that many of your male friends won’t be able, or willing, to make.

25 sure signs a guy likes you but is intimidated

Not all guys are bold enough to confess their feelings when in love. This is because most of them are afraid of being rejected. Therefore, they would prefer to bottle up their feelings. If a guy behaves strangely towards you, he might be interested in you.

Related Reading- Why Do Men Hate Rejection so Much? 

Here are some signs he’s into you but afraid

1. He remembers important details

One of the clear signs he is intimidated by you but he has feelings for you is when he remembers some intricate details that you talk about.

This trait shows that he is genuinely concerned about you, and he would help out if it were in his capacity. Any man who doesn’t like you will be less concerned about vital details in your conversations. 

Related Reading- 15 Ways on How to Start a Romantic Conversation With Your Loved Ones

2. He is happy when he is with you 

It is easy to know when someone is happy with you because it is written all over them. So, even though you ask questions like why do I intimidate guys, watch out for how he behaves when he is around you. 

He might laugh at all your jokes, which would leave you surprised. Not to worry, he likes you, but he is pretty intimidated.

3. He introduces you to his loved ones

If you are looking for one of the strong signs a guy likes you but is intimidated, watch how he makes you interact with his loved ones. He might be too shy to reveal his intentions, but he will introduce you to his loved ones as an indirect way of letting you know his feelings.

4. He wants to meet your loved ones

After introducing you to his loved ones, he will make moves to meet your family and friends. When he does this, you can be sure that it is one of the signs a guy likes you but is intimidated. This indirectly lets you know that he is ready to build something serious with you.

5. He discusses having a future with you

When it comes to the signs he’s intimidated by your beauty, one of the things to watch out for is when he talks about having a future with you. He might not dwell too much on this subject matter because he wants to see your reaction. 

If you are open to dating him, he might delve deeper into making future plans with you.

Related Reading- Dreaming Together: 3 Essential Tips for Having a Happy Future as a Couple

6. He can be close today and distant tomorrow

Sometimes, if a man has feelings for you, he might be intimidated to get closer. You will notice that he might act very familiar with you today and become cold the next day.

He is doing this to prevent himself from getting too attached so that he won’t experience heartbreak. When he is sure of how you feel towards him, it will determine his attachment level and style. 

7. He doesn’t make solid eye contact

If you notice that he looks away when you catch him staring at you, he might be intimidated even though he has feelings for you. 

In this case, you might be wondering what to do if he’s intimidated by you. All you need to do is act friendly and calm so that he will be motivated to approach you.

Watch this video to learn from Certified Life Coach Marie Dubuque how lack of eye contact could mean he is interested:

8. He makes sacrifices for you

One of the undeniable signs a guy likes you but is intimidated is when he always goes out of his way for you. 

When he is aware of some of your needs, he makes it his responsibility to provide them for you, even if it is inconvenient. This is his subtle way of telling you that he has feelings for you.

9. He behaves differently around you

Another way to learn how to know if a guy is intimidated by you is when he behaves differently anytime he is around you.

Some men prefer to mask their behaviors when they are around their love interest because they don’t want to leave a wrong impression. Therefore, if he has feelings for you but is intimidated, he will act differently around you. 

10. He jokes about being interested in you

One of the shocking signs a man is intimidated by you is when he makes jokes about having feelings for you. 

Some jokes might seem harmless, but you will observe some hidden truths about his intentions if you listen closely. So, while you laugh these jokes off, remember that he can ask you out at any time.

11. You always bump into him

When some men like you but are unsure of how you feel, they will create means of accidentally meeting up with you in public. 

You might feel that it’s a coincidence, but it’s not. They are trying to make themselves familiar with you so that it will be easy to kickstart friendship from there.

12. He gets jealous

If a man gets jealous around you, it is one of the signs a guy likes you but is intimidated. 

When he notices that you are giving other potential partners attention, he might get jealous and show it in his speech or body language. He cannot help having feelings for you, and he doesn’t want anyone to take his place. 

Also Try- Am I Too Jealous in My Relationship Quiz 

13. He wants to know more about you

If you have ever asked why he is intimidated by me, one of the ways to find out is through the type of questions he asks you. When a man has feelings for you, but he’s shy to say it, he will ask general questions that revolve around you so that he can gather more information.

14. He doesn’t talk about other partners

One of the obvious signs a guy likes you but is intimidated is when he avoids talking about other potential partners in his life. The reason is that he doesn’t want to scare you away. Hence, he prefers leaving them out of the picture anytime he’s talking to you.

Also Try- Do You Scare Guys Away?

15. He is your number-one fan

Have you noticed that he gives you unflinching support when you want to do anything? This is because he likes you, but he is not bold enough to tell you directly. Hence, he uses his strong support to bring his intentions to your notice.

16. He compliments you

When a guy compliments you, it is a strong signal that he likes you. However, most of them would be careful to draw the line so that they don’t flirt with you. Additionally, they might turn such compliments into jokes if they notice that you suspect them as being a type of flirting.

17. He loves listening to your problems

If a guy is interested in listening to your problems, it is one of the signs a guy likes you but is intimidated. When a guy listens, he wants to show you that he will always be there for you on your bad days.

Related Reading- The Importance of Art of Listening in a Relationship

18. He is overprotective

If you have asked questions like, “Is he intimidated by me or not interested?” one of the ways to find out is if he is over-protective. Such men don’t want you to get harmed, so they will always look out for you. And it might even become annoying at some point.

19. He calls you romantic pet names

When it comes to one of the signs a guy likes you but is intimidated, you can know by the kind of names he calls you. Some men use this as a strategy to drum their intentions into your subconscious. They also want to feel comfortable with you in a romantic setting.

Also Try- What Is Your True Love's Name Quiz

20. He wants you to go on a date with him

One of the signs someone likes you but is scared is when he suggests you go on a date with him. He might not give any clear reason why he wants to hang out with you. But the truth is, he is looking for every opportunity to be by your side.

21. His friends give you hints

If his friends pass along some subtle and interesting comments about him, they are trying to make you notice him. They might tell you that there is no potential partner in their life so that you will get the impression that he has eyes for only you.

22. Your friends give you hints

If a guy likes you but is intimidated, he might have spoken to your friends. Therefore, do not be surprised when your friends start talking about him for no reason. They are trying to get you to think about him.

23. He is not happy when you are sad

Another way to know when a guy likes you but is intimidated is when he is in a bad mood because you are sad. This means that he has identified himself with you as your potential partner. Hence, if anything affects you, it automatically affects him.

24. He tells you that he is afraid of your response

Some men have the courage to tell their love interest that they are scared of their response. Therefore, they will prefer to keep their feelings to themselves rather than divulge them.

25. Your instincts tell you

Sometimes, you know that this guy likes you, but they cannot say it. You may have observed their body language and words, and they have indirectly told you how they feel about you.

Alex Altman, in his book titled ‘Understanding Men,’ talks about the need to internally look for answers in your quest to understand better the men in your life.  

Related Reading- Gut Instinct in Relationships: How to Trust Your Intuition

Takeaway

After reading through this article, you now know what to expect when you observe some of the signs a guy likes you but is intimidated. If you like the guy, you can help him overcome his fears by meeting him in the middle. 

You can also seek help by reaching out to a counselor for assistance with navigating out of such situations.