There are many types of guys who stay single through various stages and ages of life. It’s neither good nor bad to opt for a bachelor lifestyle.

But there are red flags in every single one of them that you need to be aware of as it raises a few doubts and a lot of questions, like why he has been single for so long and what’s preventing him from having a healthy relationship.

According to research, some reasons given by single people for why they choose to be single were majorly – poor flirting skills, freedom, fear of getting hurt, having different priorities, and being too picky.

Some said that they think being single will keep them fit, whereas others said that they had children from previous relationships and hence chose the single life. 

13 Types Of Guys Who Stay Single — And Why You Should Avoid Them

Men who stay single can encompass a diverse range of individuals, each with their own unique motivations and circumstances. However, we have rounded up thirteen types of guys who stay single, along with reasons why you need to avoid them.

1. The man-child

If you are new to the dating scene, here is a tip that will prevent you from falling into the depths of a labyrinth. Don’t date a man-child or a mama’s boy. It will exhaust you, and you will be stuck in an unhealthy relationship.

Loving your mother and being obsessed with her are two different things. A man who balances it all well is what women need to look for.  However, a guy who is heavily dependent on his mother is one of the types of guys to avoid. 

Such men remain single. Why, you ask? Here are a few reasons:

  • You will always be number 2. His first priority is.. you guessed it right. His mother
  • There will be no such thing as privacy. His mother will know everything that’s happening between the two of you  
  • He will be dismissive of you when you do things that his mother dislikes or has already disapproved of 
  • When you contradict his mother’s opinion, you will be blamed for breaking up the mother-son “sacred bond”

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2. The immature one 

Why should I always text you first? What do you mean I can’t frivolously spend as much money as I can? What is emotional connection?

You will hear these questions if you are stuck with an immature guy. He will bully you and others around him.

Plus, he will be selfish, unsupportive, and you will feel like you are alone in this relationship.

Here’s what psychologists and research tells you a few things about immature guys and why many women avoid them: 

  • They possess feelings of inferiority, restlessness, hostility, self-centeredness, etc. It’s one of the signs of a weak man in a relationship
  • They have social maladjustment and have a lack of social adaptability and hatred
  • They always boast about themselves and have been mostly identified as liars
  • Their personality patterns speak about their fears and phobias. And most importantly, they tend to have a parasitic dependence

3. The divorcee 

Some handsome guys are single after losing their partner or after divorcing them. Such men have been in a serious relationship.

They could have also been in a healthy relationship but there are chances of them becoming hostile owing to their ugly divorce.

That’s why men staying single after divorce makes sense. Perhaps this guy was the toxic one in the relationship. 

Listed below are some concrete reasons why it’s best to avoid dating people who are going through a divorce or who have just gotten a divorce no matter how much “nice guy” vibes he exudes:

  • If he is a divorced dad, then you will have to deal with his children
  • He must have gone through bad prior experiences and could be carrying a heavy emotional baggage 
  • He must have crossed a certain age and wants to settle down as soon as possible. If that’s not what you want, then it can create problems 
  • Perhaps he is still a married guy and he hasn’t divorced his wife yet. This can create a lot of problems down the lane 

4. The shy guy 

Why do good looking guys stay single? Because they are handsome yet shy. Most women aren’t really turned on by men who are shy.

They don’t know what’s going on inside their head. He could be the perfect partner but he needs to act fast if he wants to have a romantic relationship with the woman of his dreams.

Sadly, a shy guy’s fears get the better of him and therefore some guys who are timid and demure never find love. 

If you want to start dating a shy person, it’s best you check some of the cons listed below:

  • He has very little confidence and that will act as a wall between you and him 
  • He has poor communication skills
  • You will have to initiate sex 
  • Don’t expect grand gestures from him 
  • He will have poor flirting skills 

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5. The workaholic 

Workaholics are one of the types of guys who stay single. They prioritize their professional ambitions and career and may not have the time or inclination for romantic relationships.

Only women who are equally committed to their job will match with workaholic men. If you are someone who wants to be put first in every possible way, then dating a happily single guy who prioritizes his professional life won’t be a good option.

Do some guys like to stay single? Yes.

The workaholic ones like to stay single but things change when they genuinely fall for a woman.

However, if you are a woman who recently went on a date with such a guy, here are some more reasons why you should avoid dating forever single men who are workaholics: 

  • It’s a three way relationship. Him, you, and his laptop
  • You will have to check his schedule before planning anything. Hence, zero scope for spontaneous plans
  • You won’t get immediate replies for your text messages as he will always be busy 
the workaholic guys often stay single
Image by Freepik

6. The womanizer/pervert 

Why handsome guys are single? Because they know they are handsome and they use it to their advantage. They become serial daters.

Stay away from guys who are players as you can never expect a serious relationship from them. A right woman will never turn a blind to a man’s perverted gaze and Casanova behavior. 

Here’s what a reddit user has to say about dating attractive but single men who are womanizers, “Get out with your dignity and work on rebuilding yourself. This guy is a giant douche and does not deserve to be in a relationship.

If he can flirt, he can sure as hell cheat and that is the next step. Save yourself more aggravation, pain and heartbreak and kick him to the curb without a second thought. Such men will never stay loyal to one girl.” 

Here’s why you should never consider being in a relationship with serial daters: 

  • A new or an aging player will be physically intimate with you but you will never have a deep intimate connection with him
  • He knows how to grab a woman’s attention, which means his attention is never on one woman 
  • His flirting skills are excellent and he will have a difficult time staying loyal 
  • He will never be respectful of committed relationships 

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7. The guy with low self-esteem

Self-esteem is one of the reasons why some guys never find love because they constantly like to be reassured that they are loved.

They could be successful but single for that main reason. Furthermore, good guys are always single but they tend to be extremely jealous.

The more you stay with them, the more they will drag you to their level. They will make you question your worth as well. This is one of the types of guys to avoid. 

Listed below are some reasons why you should avoid dating such men:

  • According to research, guys with low self-esteem will have depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. There’s nothing wrong in dating such men but if you don’t want any extra stress, then this is one of the reasons to stay away from them
  • They will see criticisms in everything and will have a hard time moving on from bad experiences 
  • They have poor communication skills
  • They are bitter men and their negativity will suffocate you 

8. The toxic guy

A guy who is toxic never comes off as toxic during the initial stages. He will always appear his best.

He will be kind, empathetic, romantic, and will make sure you fall head over heels in love with him.

And soon his toxicity will envelop you.

He will make you feel like you are the perfect woman for him but he will end up manipulating, gaslighting, and emotionally/physically abusing you. It’s best to remain single instead of falling for such guys. 

Here’s why you need to avoid dating toxic guys:

  • You will be their only problem. All his sorrows, miseries, and tragedies will be blamed on you. You need to cut toxic people out of your life
  • He will believe in stereotypical gender roles and will control every movement of yours 
  • He will disrespect you keep you in a constant state of stress
  • It’s like there will be only one person in the relationship and that’s him. He will expect you to make him your entire world

9. The guy who is average-looking 

A guy who doesn’t look good will have underlying self-confidence and self-esteem issues. That’s one of the types of guys who stay single. It’s a hard pass, isn’t it?

He seems like a nice, genuine guy but his single status for a long time is because of his physical appearance.

He could have a nice body but women look for aesthetic attraction as well as physical attraction. Women would rather choose other men over average looking men. 

Listed below are some reasons why it’s best to avoid such types of men:

  • You will be hesitant to introduce him to your loved ones. It’s not fair for him
  • You will put low effort in sustaining the relationship 
  • You may even end up developing a superiority complex and will mistreat him
  • His poor looks will make him feel lesser than you and will feel secretly feel like you deserve better 

10. The one who seeks a partner to become his mother 

This is a major red flag to look for in men when you are starting a new relationship. Most men look for partners who will become their mothers.

They want someone who will look after them, clean the house, feed them, cook for them, and coddle them.

Such men will refuse to believe in equal rights. He won’t treat you as a partner but as a woman who should serve him as his mother did.

This is one of the most common reasons why you should never entertain the idea of being in a long-term relationship with them. 

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Here’s why your potential partner cannot be someone who expects his partner to become like a mother figure:

  • Everything in the relationship will become about him, for him, and to him
  • You need someone who can take care of himself. Otherwise, you will be stuck with a man who doesn’t know basic life skills
  • You will be left to do all the major things alone like raising children and running the house

11. The commitment-phobic

He will be committed to personal growth but he will never commit to his relationship with you. This is one of the types of men you will find in the dating pool. You need to ignore them.

They won’t put much effort into anything. You won’t feel special, loved, appreciated, or acknowledged in the relationship.

If you check their history, none of their previous relationships would have been happy and healthy. Such men prefer remaining single because they like their single status a little too much.

Some more reasons why you should avoid commitment-phobic men include:

  • A commitment-phobic man tends to push and pull in relationships, causing emotional instability.  He will exhibit hot-and-cold behavior, leaving you confused and hurt
  • His future plans will always be vague and uncertain 
  • He will struggle to invest fully in a relationship. He will withhold his time, emotions, and effort, preventing the relationship from growing and thriving 

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12. The one who is still stuck on his ex 

This is a walking red flag. A man still hung up on his ex will never give you the love, honesty, and respect you deserve.

He will never be open to developing a healthy emotional connection with you. His lingering feelings for his ex can result in mixed signals and conflicting behavior.

Unresolved issues from the previous relationship, such as trust issues or unresolved conflicts, can spill over into your relationship and create tension. No amount of online dating will change his heart. 

How many single guys are there in the world? Many. Especially those who still love their ex. According to a survey, 71% of people still think about their ex a lot

  • You may feel like you are constantly competing with his memory of the ex or that you don’t measure up. This can lead to feelings of insecurity and inadequacy
  • This is one of the types of guys to avoid as his lingering feelings for the ex can lead to jealousy and drama, especially if the ex is still part of his life in some way. This can be emotionally draining for both of you
  • You may have difficulty trusting him, as his feelings for the ex can raise doubts about his intentions and loyalty in your relationship

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13. The guy with a female best friend 

It’s okay for a guy to have a female best friend. Many of the guys know how to balance it out. It looks cute in movies and books but in real life, it’s stressful to deal with your partner’s female friends.

In fact, it is hopeless if he is overly obsessed with friends from the opposite sex. If you are already dating such a guy, then take a temporary break and reevaluate your choices. 

It’s a red flag because:

  • He won’t know where to draw the line with them and all your private stuff will reach a wider audience 
  • Whenever they are together alone, you will start suspecting them of having an affair. Such friendships often give rise to suspicions 
  • People will think they are dating considering how close and affectionate they act. This will give rise to a lot of jealousy and insecurity in you

Read This: 16 Boyfriend’s Female Friends’ Boundaries That Must Be Followed

Key Takeaways 

  • Some men stay single by choice. They may be battling addiction, mental health issues, or grappling over the loss of a loved one. They are comfortable in their single life and are healing  
  • Some guys are meant to be single owing to their toxic and controlling nature. They have low self-esteem and have severe mommy issues 
  • It’s best to avoid such men if you are looking for long-term commitment because you need to put yourself and your mental health on top

Before pursuing a relationship with types of guys who stay single, it is crucial to have open and honest communication about their feelings, intentions, and why they chose the communal lifestyle.

If their answers are believable, then you can try to go on a few dates with them without taking it seriously. However, if they are not ready to change, save yourself some emotional pain and walk away from the relationship. 

Infographic On Types Of Guys Who Stay Single

Infographic On Types Of Guys Who Stay Single
Infographic On Types Of Guys Who Stay Single

FAQs

  1. 1. How many men stay single forever?

    According to Pew Research Center, the living arrangements of Americans have changed drastically over the past 30 years. It has been found that around four in ten adults stay single forever.

  2. 2. What makes a man stay single?

    There are many circumstances that make a man stay single. Men going through financial struggles, mental health issues, and addiction issues are some of the common reasons. Some more reasons include having a toxic personality and being a control freak.

  3. 3. Is it ok for a guy to stay single forever?

    Yes. As long as he is self-content, happy, and has a sane mind, it’s completely ok for a guy to stay single.