16 Telltale Signs A Man Loves You But Is Afraid To Admit It

Here you are, confused because a guy whom you like seems to be playing the hot and cold game with you. The mixed signals are driving you crazy and you want to know about the signs a man loves you but is afraid- to admit his love for you or to simply let you off the hook.

Life can be strange that way- with bated breath you wait for this guy to confess his feelings for you, while he simply chooses to ignore his feelings.

Why is that? Well, if research is to be believed, it has been found that men have poor social support and they often restrict their feelings for various reasons. Owing to their internal fears, emotional barriers, and past traumas, they may be scared to confess their feelings.

There could be a fear of rejection, of the phobia of commitment. Sometimes it’s societal conditioning that prevents them from being open, real, honest, and vulnerable. Other times it could be the case of a bad relationship that left a huge question mark on his heart.

Do Men Get Scared When They Fall In Love? 

Most guys aren’t usually scared of love. However, when a man is afraid to love you, it’s because they are scared of the more powerful emotions that tag along with it.

It’s even more dreadful for the men who aren’t emotionally equipped to handle them. He may also worry about his independence. What if he starts feeling trapped in the relationship?

Furthermore, the idea of trusting someone else completely could be frightening for him. When researchers studied the difference between men’s and women’s ways of trusting people, it was found that women’s trust is more enduring than men’s in the face of untrustworthy behavior.

A man could also be afraid to confess his feelings if he had to go through a betrayal of some sort in the past. There is a huge possibility that he is still not over it yet and that’s reflecting in your relationship dynamics with him. Healing surely takes time.

Apart from this, men are also afraid of being vulnerable. It may terrify them to be emotionally invested in a person who may use their vulnerabilities as ammunition against them.

So, yes. A man in love with you could be afraid to admit his feelings, especially when he feels for you real, true and pure love. When a man consciously chooses to not tell you about his true feelings, it is usually a case of strong feelings, not fleeting surface-level infatuation.

16 Telltale Signs A Man Loves You But Is Afraid

The signs a man loves you but is afraid can be easily decoded if you pay close attention to this man in your mind. If someone is in love with you, there will be certain signs and if they still don’t take further, it indicates there is something holding them back.

Listed below are some signs a man loves you but is afraid to admit it. It will immensely help you especially if you have also fallen for him. 

1. You catch him staring at you

One of the first and most common signs a man loves you but is afraid of you is when you catch him staring at you. Let’s say the two of you are at a social gathering. He will quickly divert his gaze and act like he wasn’t really looking at you. This shows that he has strong feelings for you.

When he is madly in love with you, you will be the only person in the party he has eyes for. Well, its not called the look of love for no reason!!

But because= he is afraid of getting rejected, he will keep his love to himself and won’t open up and talk to you much. 

2. He is nervous around you

If he acts differently and is nervous around you, it’s one of the signs he wants you but is holding back. Here is what nervousness looks like when he tries to spend time with you: 

• He won’t be able to stop fidgeting. He will play with his hands, adjust his clothes, or tap his fingers which indicates his restlessness
• He will avoid making eye contact with you, will just stare at you and avert his gaze if you happen to notice
• He will laugh at all your jokes 
• He will be overly polite, using formal language, or over-apologizing
• He will blush at everything you say 

These are some of the indications that he is trying too hard to make a good impression. A guy who liked me in college would always be clumsy around me. I would always wonder why such a confident guy is nervous around me?

Matters of the heart are complicated. It was much later when I realized he is crazy about me but equally nervous to ask me out. “He wants you to know that he likes you but he won’t be the one to make the first move”, suggested my friend, Ava. 

You May Also Like: 19 Clear Signs Of A Sagittarius Man In Love With You

3. He makes time for you

Despite his busy schedule, workload, and family commitments, a guy who loves you will still make time for you. If he is stuck at work, he won’t forget to drop you a message. He will let you know that he is busy but he is still thinking of you, albeit indirectly.

If he is hanging out with his female friends, he won’t give you any chance to feel insecure. He will draw female friend boundaries the moment he falls for you. 

It’s clear that he is falling in love with you the same way you are falling for him. If he just considered you a friend, he wouldn’t bother using precious minutes out of his busy schedule to text you.

You have his undivided attention and he makes you feel like the most important person on earth. 

But why is he not confessing his feelings for you? New relationships can be scary and he is probably afraid of getting hurt. Perhaps that’s why he is still not ready to take it to the next level. 

4. He gives you mixed signals 

When a guy is unsure of his feelings for you, he will give you mixed signals like:

• Blows hot and cold behavior: He will alternate between being very interested and then distant without any apparent reason. He acts like he is your best friend then suddenly you don’t exist for him 
• Flirting and ignoring: He will flirt with you one moment like you are in a romantic friendship and then ignore you the next, leaving you unsure about his true feelings
• Inconsistent communication: He will have open communication with you for a while but then he will suddenly go silent for days or weeks
• Curiosity and indifference: Sometimes he shows so much curiosity in getting to know you better. He wants to know everything about your childhood, love life, and about your family. Conversely, he also acts uninterested
• Conflicting body language: His body language might not match his words; for example, he might lean in close while talking but avoid eye contact

5. He notices everything about you

From the way you laugh to what dress you wore the first time you met him, he will remember every little thing about you. He will notice how many rings you are wearing or which drink you orderedHe will notice how many rings you are wearing or which drink you ordered.

These are the signs a guy is totally into you. He is deeply in love with you, even if he is nervous about confessing it to you.

But if he is hiding his feelings from you, it could be he is intimidated by you. It could be how beautiful you are while he considers himself average or he could be intimidated by your success.

In such a case, if you also like him, try meeting him midway to help him get rid of his fears.

6. He is always there for you 

A guy who genuinely likes you will be be there for you. He is your knight in the shining armor. You just have to ask him and your wish is his command. Sometimes, you don’t even have to ask him.

This is one of the obvious signs he has romantic feelings for you, even if he is afraid to let you know. Perhaps, he is afraid of commitment but he cannot help himself falling for you.

When you are feeling down, he constantly asks what he can do to make you feel better. Furthermore, if he acts eager to help you out, is always available for you but never lets it slip from his mouth that he loves you, he is surely scared of something.

He will understand your emotions, mood swings, and is empathetic toward your struggles. In fact, he will show genuine concern for your well-being. He will actively participate in problem-solving and decision-making, demonstrating that he already sees you as a partner even though he hasn’t officially asked you to be his girlfriend yet. This is a good sign that shows he loves you deeply and a subtle way of revealing his true feelings. 

7. He is your biggest cheerleader

One of the positive signs he likes you but is afraid of rejection is when he supports you from behind. Gradually, you realize he becomes your biggest support system. You wish he’d just tell you how much you mean to him, but he only expresses his love through his beautiful actions.

He will support your dreams, goals, and ambitions. Even when you are facing failure, he will try to lift your spirits. He will actively engage in conversations about your goals and provide positive reinforcement, encouragement, and motivation to pursue them. He will celebrate your success as his own achievements and will push you to become better at your craft.  

He will offer help and support without being asked, whether it’s providing resources, offering advice, or assisting practically in achieving your goals regardless of whether or not he has the same ambitions as you.

And this one is a dead giveaway that he isn’t just one of your best friends — he will express his belief, confidence, and faith in your abilities and talents. When such a guy does so much for you, imagine how he will treat you if you are his girlfriend in reality?

You May Also Like: 16 Unmistakable Signs You Are Attractive 

8. His friends and family know about you 

They know you exist but they just don’t know what you classify as in his life. They also know that he has a special place for you in his heart but he just feels scared to admit it. He will even go to the extent of introducing you to his loved ones. He will invite you to important events like his sibling’s wedding or his parents’ anniversary celebration. 

9. He shows jealousy

When you bring up other guys or your other male friends, he will seem uncomfortable. He will act visibly uncomfortable when you mention spending time with someone who is better-looking than him. Notice how his mood drastically changes when you talk about or hang out with your male friends, showing signs of agitation, frustration, or sadness. This is one of the signs he is afraid of losing you. 

Also, he will start making negative or sarcastic comments about your male friends, indirectly and subtly questioning their intentions or the nature of your relationship with them. Instead of moving forward in your relationship by confessing his feelings for you, he will suddenly show interest in your male friends, asking specific questions about them or trying to be overly friendly, which might be a sign of insecurity.

10. He is protective of you

When a man is protective of you, he will demonstrate care and concern for your mental and physical health. Here are signs that indicate his love from his protective nature:  

• He takes measures to ensure you are safe, whether it’s walking you home, making sure you arrived safely, or checking on you when you are out alone
• It’s one of the biggest signs he has strong feelings for you but is scared when he stands up for you and defends you in different situations, whether it is in social settings, at work, or in family matters
• How to tell if he likes you? He will start talking about your strength when you feel like you have lost it all 
• He intervenes if someone is making you uncomfortable

There is a thin line between protecting you and isolating you. So, a man who truly loves you will respect your relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. He will encourage you to have connections outside your relationship with him and will actively try to get along with the people important to you.

You May Also Like: 13 Surefire Signs He Will Never Forget You

11. He values your opinions 

When a man values your opinion, it shows that he respects you and wants to have a healthy relationship down the road. Even if he doesn’t necessarily agree with you, he will respectfully agree to disagree instead of just invalidating and discarding your thoughts. Also, he will express his gratitude if you guide him toward success and a positive path. 

Jada, a 28-year-old physiotherapist from New York, says, “A confident guy is nervous around me but I know he likes me. He cares deeply about my opinion and doesn’t judge me for my perspective. He even validates my feelings and makes me feel seen and heard. I don’t want to wait any longer. I am going to propose to him tonight.” 

12. He compliments you often 

His words will make you feel like there are violins being played in the background. He will go beyond just complimenting your physical appearance. He will give you the best compliments about your kindness, your resilient nature, and how secure you are in your space. You aren’t just anyone in his life.

You matter the most to him and he wants to make you feel special. These things hint that he loves you but he is scared of a relationship. Perhaps he is afraid of getting hurt again or he is simply commitment phobic and he is scared that he will break your heart. 

13. He tries to look good for you

A man who loves you and wants you to fall for him will make an effort to present himself in the best possible way. He will pay attention to his attire. He will be self-conscious and will ensure his beard is properly trimmed and his overall appearance is neat. He is very much into self-awareness and will maintain good personal hygiene. He will pay attention to his physique as well as his mental health.

He will eat well and workout regularly to show you that he can balance everything easily. Plus, he will display chivalrous behavior, such as holding the door open for you, offering you his coat when you are cold, or pulling out your chair. His thoughtful behavior is one of the obvious signs a guy likes you but is scared through text and in person. 

You May Also Like: What Are The Signs A Guy Likes You Over Text? 

14. Your presence means a lot to him 

Just being there for him is enough to make him smile. He expresses gratitude for showing up to his birthday party. He thanks you for meeting him on a busy day. He says he feels blessed to have someone like you in his life.

His eyes light up when he sees you and he prioritizes spending time with you over meeting his friends. This is one of the signs he has strong feelings for you but is scared that he won’t be able to live up to your expectations. 

15. He respects your boundaries

Following on from the previous point, as much as he loves spending time with you, he will also make sure he gives you your personal space. He wants you to have your alone time and do the things you love in private. He wants you to have your individuality.

He won’t influence you. He won’t force his thoughts on you. And he won’t withhold his affection when you contradict his statements. He will respect your physical, financial, emotional, intellectual, and dating boundaries. These are some of the important signs a man loves you but fears rejection. 

16. He initiates deep conversations with you 

This one’s a biggie. A man who loves you but is afraid of being rejected will open his heart to you. He will share everything with you. His strengths, weaknesses, his insecurities, embarrassing life moments, and heartbreaks. He will let you in on his darkest secrets. He will ask open-ended questions to get to know you better and he will encourage you to be vulnerable with him.

He will keep all your secrets with him and won’t gossip about it with his friends. He will protect them with his life. He will talk about the future vaguely but he will hint at you being in it. Sweet, right? If a guy loves you, he will make you feel content. You will feel it in your heart that he has feelings for you but he isn’t able to fully admit it due to his past traumatic experiences. 

Love can be complex but humans don’t have to be. Just because a man is a little skeptical of confessing his feelings doesn’t mean you will let things go. You can make the first move and assure him that you won’t hurt him. Tell him that love is supposed to make people feel empowered. Go ahead and tell him what’s in your heart. Build a healthy relationship with trust, mutual respect, and emotional intimacy.